The    

Adventures 
of    

NED    MINTON 

A  Story  of  Fact  and  Friction 


BY 


KDWIN    J.    MILLER, 


WHITNEYVILLE,     MAINE. 


.MACHIAS: 

A.   R.  FURBUSH, 
1904. 


" 


ENTERED  ACCORDING  TO  ACT  OF  CONGRESS,  IN  THK 
YEAR  1OO4,  BY  EDWIN  J.  MILLER,  IN  THE  OFFICE  OF  THK 
LIBRARIAN  OF  CONGRESS,  AT  WASHINGTON,  I>.  C. 


TO 

THE  YOUNG  MEN  AND  MAIDENS 

OF  THE 

PRESENT  GENERATION, 

TO 

THE  COMPANIONS  OF  MY  YOUTHFUL  DAYS 
GROWN  OLD  WITH  THE  FLEETING  YEARS, 

AND 
TO  MY  SOLDIER  COMRADES 

OF  THE 

WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION, 
THIS  WORK  is  MOST  CORDIALLY  DEDICATED 

BY  THEIR 

SINCERE  FRIEND  AND  FELLOW-CITIZEN. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 


The  history  of  the  people  resident  in  t  he  Ma<-hia> 
Valley,  half  a  century  ago,  in  a  social,  industrial, 
sportive  and  loyal  sense,  is  full  of  interest  and 
abounds  in  thrilling  adventures.  The  object  of 
this  little  volume  is  to  give  a  plain  and  correct 
account  of  some  of  the  more  important  facts,  wit  h 
just  enough  fiction  interwoven  to  make  the  story 
interesting.  A  glance  at  the  table  of  contents  will 
show  the  nature  and  variety  of  the  subjects.  Wr 
have  indulged  in  only  a  few  moral  reflections  but 
have  furnished  material  for  many.  E.  J.  M. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Playing;  Truant.  —  Loss  of  Clothing.  —  Snaring 
Rabbits.  —  Hornets  Attack  Political  Dele 
gation  ......................................................  i) 

CHAPTER  II. 

M      Xed    Minton    and    Hiram    Qnagley    Netting 

fc  Pigeons  ........................................  .*  ............      1G 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Loin     Woods.  —  Barkin     Los.—  Snar 


. 


ing  Squirrels.  —  Shooting  Deer  ..................     22 

CHAPTER  IV. 

M 

^      A  Snow  Storm.  —  Attacked  by  Wolves.  —  Safe 

at  Camp  ...................................................     35 

CHAPTER  V. 

Sudden  Change  in  the  Weather.  —  A  Gumming' 
Cruise.  —  Victorious  Encounter  with  Bears.  — 
g  Xed  Visits  Home  ..........................................     42 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Xcd  Returns  to  Camp.  —  Relates  Amusing  In- 
!  cident.  —  Presents   the  Crew  with   Pies.  — 

Booming    the     Logs.  —  Preparations    to 
Return  Home  ............................................      ~>'2 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Team  Returning  Home  is  Met  by  Children.  — 
A   Dance    at    Marshfield.  —  The    .Jealous 
Lover  Loses   His  Girl.  —  Calf    Falls  into 
Curbless  Well.  —  Courtship  Suddenly  End 
ed.  —  Amusing  Story  of  a  Horse  Trade  ......      •">'•> 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Ike  I'ine  the  Jockey.—  Tin-  Ka\\  I'.oned  Horse 
and  tht-  Dutchman. — A  Surprising  Race. — 
Hauling  a  Maet.— Congratulations 71 

CIIAITFR    IX. 

A  liar*-  Between  the  Flying  Fagle  and  Ned 
Miuton  on  Skates.— Visits  the  Fair.— 
Canine  Sagacity 71> 

CHAITFR  X. 

A  River-Driving  Cruise.— Interest  ing  Descrip 
tive  Scene-.. — The  Lo«:-  Race.— Shaving  t  he 
"Tenderfoot" 87 

CHAPTER   XI. 

float  and  Deer  Race  in  the  Lake. — Calling  and 
Shooting  Moose. — A  Surprised  and  Dis- 
<  oncerted  Animal. — Ijettersfrom  Home. — 
Love  Match. — Drive  all  in  Boom. — Insect 
Torments. — Homeward  Bound (.'l 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Flection. — Secession. — The  Civil  War.— 
Patriotic  Uprising.— Incidents  at  the 
State  Capitol. — Governor  Washburn's 
Order 108 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Off  for  Washington.— Through  Portland.— 
Inspiration  of  the  Regimental  Bard.— 
Arrival.— Killing  Time.— Peter  Feezer  Re 
lates  Story  of  His  Life 1  1"» 

CHAPTFR    XIV. 

Council  of  War.— Regiment  Embarks  at  Alex 
andria. — Scenes  at  Hampton  Rhodes. — 


PAGK 

Under  Fire.— The  First  to  Fall.— A  Dreary 
Night  on  Camp  Guard 121 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Evacuation. — On  to  Richmond. — Scenes 
on  the  Route. — Borrowing  a  Bed. — Battle 
of  \Villiamsburg. — Horrors  of  War. — How 
Ned  Got  the  Bacon 127 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Advance. — Promotions. — Battle  of  Fair 
Oaks. — Losses. — Exciting  Scenes. — Rail 
road  Train  Plunges  into  Chickahominy. — 
Retreat. — Battle. — Ned's  P r o m  o t  i o n. — 
Leader  of  Scouts. — Females  Under  Fire. — 
Taken  Prisoner. — Escapes. — McLellau's 
Address 133 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Scenes  at  Harrison's  Landing. — Scouting  and 
Foraging. — Laughable  Incidents. — Re 
treat  to  Yorktown. — Raids  in  the  Inte 
rior. — Ned's  Purchase. — On  Southern 
Coast. — Loss  of  Monitor. — Incidents  at 
Fernandina 141) 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Morris  Island.— Swamp  Angel  Battery.— An 

April  Fool.— Sad  incidents 156 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Spy  and  Scout.— A  Bold  Theft.— Hauling  Big 
Team. — Destruction  of  Blockade  Runner.— 
Intelligent  Horses 166 


rim-mi  xx. 

Return  to  Virginia.— Fijrhting  and  Scout - 
ing.— -Confederates  Evacuate  the  Ber 
muda  Hundred  Front.  —  Landing  ;it  lWj> 
Bottom.  —  Finding  ;i  Pot  of  (iold  ;:ii(l 
Silver  Coin  1  7.~> 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

Neil  Minton  Visits  the  L;nit;iler  Mansion  nnd 
Becomes  Interested  in  itsCaptivat  ingMis- 
tivss. — Fi^htiiio;  at  Strawberry  Plains. — 
(1a])lnites  an  Obnoxious  Guerrilla  1  vl 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Boxes  From  Home.— Miss  Angelia  Seeley 
En^-aires  as  Armv  Nurse.— P>at tie  of  Deep 
Run.: 198 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Sergeant  Holmes  Wounded  and  Taken  to  the 

Lantaler  Hospital.— Love  and  Marriage...    :2 1  1 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Ned  Proposes  to  Miss  Seeley.—Capturing 
Confederate  Vedettes 219 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Darkv  Music.— The  Effects  of  War. —Xed  and 

Miss  SwleyMeet  and  Plight  their  Troth...   :.>:><; 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Xed  Rides  Into  a  Squad  of  Undeplov»>d 
Pickets.— Wild  Xaney.— Other  Incidents 
of  the  Last  Days  of  the  War.— The  Sur 
render.— Resi^nat  ion  ami  Reunion.— 
Marriage.  — A  Settlement  in  the  South. — 
A  Happy  Home 231 


The  Adventures  of  Ned  Minton, 


CHAPTER  I. 

Playing  Truant.—  Loss  of  Clothing.—  Snaring    Rab 
bits.—  Hornets  Attack  Political  Delegation. 


years  ago,  in  a  small  country  town  in 
Washington  County,  Maine,  Ned  Minton  first 
saw  the  light.  His  birth  was  heralded  with  de 
light  by  his  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Minton, 
whose  numerous  children,  previous  to  his  coming, 
had  all  been  girls.  When  Mr.  Minton  was  informed 
he  had  a  son,  he  announced  that  he  intended  to 
educate  him  in  view  of  his  becoming  a  great  man 
in  the  councils  of  the  State  and  Nation  and  an 
honor  to  the  Minton  family,  but  he  had  reckoned 
without  consulting  Ned,  hence  his  plans  did  not 
fully  materialize. 

9 


10  THE  AKVICNTI  in:s  OF 

When  the  boy  became  about  ten  years  of  age, 
Mr.  Mint  on  removed,  temporarily,  to  the  sea 
shore,  where  Ned  would  have  better  school  ad 
vantages,  but,  ere  many  weeks  had  passed,  in  the 
institution  of  learning,  school  life  became  irksome 
to  the  lad  of  adventurous  nature;  accordingly, 
one  fine  morning,  instead  of  taking  the  path 
along  the  ridge  to  the  school  house  Ned,  with  his 
cousin  Lew,  about  the  same  age,  went  to  the 
beach  to  watch  and  play  in  the  rippling  waves  as 
they  broke  into  spray  on  the  glistening  sands  of 
the  sea  shore  Ned  thought  this  was  much 
pleasanter  than  being  pent  up  in  the  little  red 
school  house;  yet  he  was  not  entirely  satisfied 
and  intimated  to  Lew  that  the  conditions  would 
be  far  better  were  they  divested  of  their  clothing 
which  hindered  them  from  wading  in  deep  water 
and  splashing  freely  in  that  element,  while  en 
gaged  in  a  game  of  drive.  Lew,  acquiescing  in 
this  suggestion,  they  repaired  to  a  flat  ledge  a 
few  rods  distant,  and,  after  removing  their  school 
suits  returned  to  the  water  and  flounced  and 
bounced,  in  the  flowing  waves,  to  their  heart's 
content,  totally  unmindful  that  each  one  came  a 
little  farther  up  the  shore,  until  they  noted  it  was 
Hearing  the  hour  forthe  closingof  school,  then  they 
concluded  they  had  better  dress  and  return  home. 


NED  MIXTOX.  11 

They  then  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  the 
ledge  on  which  they  had  left  their  clothing  was 
covered  with  water  and  that  their  best  suits  had 
gone  seaward,  driven  by  the  strong  breeze  blow 
ing  from  the  land.  The  boys  were  dismayed  at  this 
unexpected  event;  yet  Ned  tried  to  hide  his  real 
feeling  and,  to  encourage  Lew,  remarked  that  he 
heard  his  father  read  in  the  Bible,  the  other  day, 
of  a  woman  who  covered  herself  with  fig  leaves, 
when  she  discovered  that  she  was  without  cloth 
ing,  and  that  he  believed  that  the  long,  wide  kelp 
on  the  shore  would  do  as  well,  and  even  better, 
for  an  outing  suit.  So  saying  he  wrapped  one  of 
them  around  his  body,  securing  it  by  a  turn  of  the 
stem  about  his  neck,  and  then  selected  another 
for  his  cousin,  who  gladly  availed  himself  of  it,  for 
he  was  much  troubled  when  he  contemplated  his 
condition,  and  felt  anxious  regarding  the  method 
to  pursue  in  order  to  reach  his  home  unobserved, 
for  he  lived  half  a  mile  farther  off,  than  Ned,  and 
on  the  same  road  where  many  of  the  children  were 
then  heard  laughing  and  shouting,  on  their  way 
home  from  school. 

These  boys  had  played  truant  at  a  price  which 
they  now  fully  realized,  but  they  decided  there  was 
no  better  way  than  to  go  home  and  make  an 
honest  acknowledgment  of  their  truancy  and  sub- 


12  THE  AD\  KNTI  HKS   OF 

mit  to  such  punishment  as  tlu-ir  parents  chose  to 
inflict. 

When  Mrs.  Minton  saw  the  two  boys  approach 
ing  robed  in  kelp,  she  felt  provoked  and  started 
to  chastise  them ;  but  when  she  heard  the  story  of 
adventure  and  loss  as  related  by  the  penitent 
lads,  she  could  but  smile,  and  after  due  admo 
nition  was  disposed  to  forgive  her  \\ay\v, ml  hoy. 

Lew  begged  so  hard  for  something  better  than 
kelp  to  wear  home,  that  Mrs.  Minton  gave  him  an 
old  skirt  discarded  by  one  of  her  girls;  then  he 
started  on  the  run,  avoiding  the  school  children 
as  much  as  possible,  some  of  whom  got  a  view  of 
him  as  he  dodged  along  the  stone  walls  and 
hedges,  as  he  made  his  way  partially  arrayed  in 
this  unique  apparel.  No  one  recognized  the  boy, 
his  body  being  nude  from  the  waist  up  and  his 
head  without  a  hat  or  cap ;  hence  he  was  regarded 
as  a  spright  or  wood-nymph  whose  presence  was 
pronounced  by  the  wise  ones,  an  omen  of  evil. 

Ned  was  not  a  bad  boy  at  heart  as  was 
evidenced  from  the  fact  that  he  did  his  best  to 
please  his  mother,  never  for  once  disobeying  her 
orders  from  the  date  of  his  truancy  to  the  close  of 
the  school  term.  He  was  so  studious  that  he 
reached  a  rank  which  met  the  approbation  of  his 
teacher,  the  commendation  of  the  school  board. 

N 


NED  MINTON.  13 

and  was  exceedingly  graining  to  his  parents. 

During  vacation,  however,  his  mind  was  active 
in  devising  means  and  ways  for  the  gratification 
of  his  propensity  for  sport;  hence  when  Hiram 
Quagley,  one  of  his  boon  companions,  requested 
him  to  become  associated  with  him,  in  snaring 
rabbits,  he  readily  complied.  After  getting  per 
mission  from  their  parents,  the  two  boys  went  to 
the  woods,  a  mile  distant,  and  selected  a  spot  near 
the  highway  where  they  prepared  several  snares 
with  slipknots  on  twine  attached  to  spring  poles; 
then  they  cut  yellow  birch  limbs  and  scattered 
about  to  serve  as  bait  to  lure  these  little  animals 
to  their  doom. 

There  was  that  day,  so  it  happened,  a  political 
meeting  held  in  a  town  twenty  miles  distant,  and 
a  large  number  of  ardent  politicians  had  gone 
over  with  teams,  of  various  descriptions,  to  listen 
to  the  speeches  and  participate  in  the  jollification. 
Among  these  teams  were  four  animated  steeds 
attached  to  a  coach  crowded  full  inside,  and  an 
improvised  drum  corps  mounted  on  the  top. 
Just  at  the  time  Ned  and  Hirarn  had  completed 
their  snares,  they  heard  the  coach  rattling  down 
a  hill,  about  a  mile  distant,  bearing  the  part}* 
homeward.  The  team  was  identified  by  the  sound 
of  the  drum  and  fife,  which  were  plainly  heard,  as 


14  THE  AI>\  i:\Tl  KKS  uF 

tlu»  corps  executed  the  familiar  tune  of  "Old  Zeb 
Coon." 

Hiram  was  not  a  whit  less  ardent  than  Ned  in 
his  desire  for  mischief,  and  the  sound  of  the  fife 
and  drum  suggested  to  his  mind  a  way  to  pro 
duce  a  lively  exhibition  at  small  expense.  Hite 
caught  Ned  by  the  collar,  gave  him  a  lively  yank 
and  then  exclaimed,  "I  say.  Ned!  there  is  a  l>i^ 
nest  of  yellow  wasps  under  a  causeway  out  there, 
which  that  coach  must  pass  over."  Ned  saw  the 
point  at  once,  and  with  his  companion  hurried 
out  to  the  place  indicated.  After  providing  them 
selves  each  with  a  pole,  they  waited  until  the  top 
of  the  coach  came  into  view,  on  the  hill,  when  they 
punched  the  nest  vigorously,  several  times,  then 
ran  into  the  thick  bushes,  where  they  could  peep 
out  and  witness  the  result  of  their  work  un 
observed.  Just  as  the  music  was  being  rendered 
both  rattling  and  screechy,  in  accordance  with 
the  style  of  country  offerings,  in  those  days,  and 
the  members  of  the  party,  nearing  home,  were  en 
joying  themselves  hugely,  the  team  reached  the 
animated  spot  where  about  a  thousand  angry 
and  belligerent  wasps  were  scooping  through  the 
air.  in  various  directions,  seeking  the  miscreants 
who  had  dared  to  despoil  their  home. 

Those  four  spirited  horses  that,  ordinarily,  re- 


NED  MINTON.  15 

quired  the  full  attention  of  the  reinsman  to  hold 
them  in  subjection,  were  the  first  to  receive  the 
charge  of  the  winged  warriors.  They  snorted  and 
shied,  then  away  they  went  in  a  wild  and  incon- 
trollable  run.  The  next  instant  those  on  the  top 
of  the  coach  came  into  the  troubled  zone;  then 
the  music  ceased  as  suddenly  as  the  lull  in  a 
cyclone,  and  the  drums  came  rolling  from  the 
coach  to  the  ditch,  released  from  hands  that 
wildly  thrashed  and  smashed  the  air,  and  per 
chance  a  little,  innocent  wasp,  engaged  in  defend 
ing  his  home,  an  act,  regarded  by  all  patriotic 
people,  as  the  first  duty  of  loyal  citizens.  The 
coach  soon  became  lost  to  view  in  a  cloud  of  dust, 
and  then  the  boys,  who  had  been  dancing  around 
in  forced  silence,  gave  vent  to  their  pent  up 
feelings  by  breaking  forth  in  shouts  of  laughter, 
and  performing  wild  antics  indicative  that  they 
were  more  than  satisfied  with  the  success  of  their 
scheme  to  participate  in  the  enjoyment  incident 
to  the  first  great  political  meeting  of  the 
campaign. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Ned  Mlnton  and  Hiram  Quagley  Netting  Pigeons. 

^/"HILK  they  were  engaged  in  building  snares, 
on  the  day  of  the  wasp  adventure,  Hiram 
Quagley  informed  his  companion,  Ned  Minton, 
that  he  had  been  to  Machias  a  few  days  previous 
and  had  visited  a  pigeon  bed  owned  by  an  old 
friend  of  his  father,  a  Mr.  Staples,  and  had  seen 
him  take  more  than  a  hundred  pigeons  at  a  single 
spring  of  the  net.  He  said  that  he  had  no  doubt 
they  could  do  as  well,  if  they  only  had  a  net ;  for 
he  had  witnessed  the  operation  and  knew  he 
could  make  the  bed  and  string  the  net  as  well  as 
Mr.  Staples,  or  anybody  in  the  land.  "Well,  said 
Ned,  "my  mother  can  knit  a  fish  net,  and  can  you 
tell  me  what  the  difference  is  between  a  fish  net 
and  a  pigeon  net?"  "Oh!"  said  Hite,  "there  is 
no  difference  at  all,  except  in  the  size  and  shape. 
I  know  the  mesh  is  just  the  same,  for  Mr.  Staples 
told  me  so."  "Then  we  can  have  a  net,"  said 
Ned.  "If  you  can  get  your  father  to  buy  the 
twine,  I  can  get  my  mother  to  knit  the  net,  and 
we  will  pay  them  in  pigeons.  I  know  my  mother 

16 


NED  MIXTO.V.  17 

will  do  the  knitting,  if  we  promise  her  some  birds, 
because  I  heard  her  say  that  wild  pigeons  made 
lovely  stews,  and  then  she  coaxed  father  to  go 
out  and  shoot  some." 

In  due  time  arrangements  were  made  with  Mr. 
Quagley  to  buy  the  twine  and  with  Mrs.  Mintou 
to  knit  the  net ;  then  the  boys  were  in  high  glee. 
In  those  days  thousands  of  pigeons  flocked  over 
the  county,  and  feasted  on  blueberries,  when  they 
were  plentiful,  but  later  in  the  season,  when  this 
plum  became  scarce,  these  pretty  birds,  with  glis 
tening  plumage,  were  easily  induced  to  alight  on 
pigeon  beds  baited  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of 
soaked  corn  scented  with  an  ice. 

While  the  net  was  being  made,  Ned  and  Hiram 
worked  diligently  clearing  away  the  hardbacks 
and  heaving  up  a  bed,  about  sixteen  feet  square, 
in  a  secluded  spot,  surrounded  by  scrub  spruce 
and  pine  crags.  They  afterwards  erected  a 
pigeon  stand,  near  the  bed,  and  a  short  distance 
a  way,  they  built  a  brush  camp  just  large  enough 
to  crawl  into  and  keep  from  sight,  when  watching 
the  birds  and  awaiting  an  opportune  moment  to 
jerk  the  line  and  loose  the  spring  pole  attached  to 
the  net.  The  stand  was  made  by  boring  holes  at 
different  angles  through  a  pole  and  inserting  pins, 
for  rests,  in  numbers  and  lengths  sufficent  to 


18  TMI-:  AiivK.vn  KI.S  or 

accoiiiiiuxlate  about  two  hundred  birds.  When 
t In-  pole  Avas erected  and  set  in  the  cavity  due;  to 
receive  the  butt,  it  stood  about  fifteen  feet  above 
ground.  ;tnd  somewhat  rt-senibled  the  niaM  and 
yards  of  a  ship. 

White  awaiting  the  finishing  of  the  net,  Ned  and 
Hiram  carried  soaked  corn  each  day  and 
ttered  it  over  the  bed,  making  the  trips  at  day 
break,  before  pigeons  were  on  the  wing.  They 
liad  the  satisfaction  ere  .long  of  knowing  that 
hundreds  of  pigeons  were  daily  visitors  to  their 
bed,  and  that  the  bait  carried  out  was  greedily 
eaten  in  the  early  morning,  while  those  birds 
which  came  later  were  observed  to  fly  from  perch 
to  bed  and  from  bed  back  to  perch,  evidently 
attracted  by  the  scent  of  anice  which  remained, 
though  the  last  kernel  of  corn  had  been  eaten. 

The  work  on  the  net  was  urged  on  by  the  boys 
who  were  anxious  to  get  as  many  hauls  as 
possible,  before  the  departure  of  the  birds  to  a 
warmer  clime,  hence  the  evening  of  the  day  on 
which  Mrs.  Minton  completed  the  net  was  spent  in 
at tachiiifi -weights  along  the  edge, to  hold  it  down, 
in  view  of  preventing  the  birds  from  making  their 
escape,  when  it  was  thrown  over  them.  The 
following  morning  the  net  was  carried  out.  and 
after  at  t  aching  one  side  to  the  bed  the  remaining 


NED  MI.NTON.  19 

part  was  folded  over  and  the  outer  edge  connected 
with  the  spring  pole.  A  line  was  then  run  from 
the  pole  to  the  little  brush  camp.  When  the 
work  was  nearing  completion,  one  of  the  boys 
assumed  a  position  inside  to  pull  the  line  and 
spring  the  net.  The  operation  was  repeated 
several  tiroes,  making  such  changes  in  the 
arrangement  as  seemed  necessary,  until  the 
working  was  pronounced  perfect;  the  net  landing 
instantly  across  the  bed  in  a  way  calculated  to 
trap  and  hold  the  birds  securely. 

The  boys  then  set  the  net,  covered  the  bed  with 
corn  and  secreted  themselves  in  the  camp  where 
they  could  view  the  ground  while  awaiting  results. 
In  about  an  hour  a  small  flock  of  pigeons 
alighted  on  the  stand,  and  while  they  were 
apparently  viewing  the  net,  flock  after  flock  flew 
over,  many  of  them  returning  to  join  those  which 
first  came,  talking,  fluttering  and  struggling  for 
a  foothold  upon  the  stand.  When  they  began  to 
descend  upon  the  bed,  the  boys  became  so  excited 
that  they  were  tempted  to  pull  the  line  and  spring 
the  net  before  the  conditions  were  at  the  best. 
The}7  could  contain  themselves  no  longer,  when 
about  two  hundred  pigeons  were  vieing  with  each 
other  in  their  efforts  to  get  the  most  corn.  Ned 
then  jerked  the  line  and  out  sprang  the  net, 


20  THK  Ai>\KNTrin>  or 

landing  squarely  over  the  flock,  and  such  flutter 
ing  and  struggling  for  liberty  was  never  before 
witnessed,  it  is  safe  to  say.  by  lads  so  young. 
The  bo JB  lUShed  from  the  camp  and  ran  with  all 
their  might,  but  before  they  reached  the  net  many 
of  the  birds  had  escaped,  the  weights  not  being 
.sufficiently  heavy  to  hold  it  down  against  i  In 
fill!  tering  of  so  many  wings.  The  boys  hearts 
almost  failed  them,  when  it  came  to  wringing  the 
necks  of  so  many  pretty  pigeons,  but  there  seemed 
to  be  no  way  to  accomplish  the  disagreeable  task 
of  killing  them  so  speedily.  When  it  was  done, 
however,  they  felt  relieved  of  a  great  burden,  for 
it  seemed  to  be  a  cruel  act  however  they  tried  to 
look  upon  it. 

When  the  net  was  folded  back.  Hiram  and  Ned 
viewed  the  pile  of  birds  with  satisfaction  a  IK] 
and  pride  and  congratulated  one  another  on  the 
glowing  prospects  of  earning  money  to  open  a 
bank  account ;  for  they  figured  that  the  pigeons 
secured  at  the  first  haul  would  net  them  money 
enough  to  pay  the  expenses  of  their  outfit,  and 
leave  a  balance  sufficiently  large  to  purchase  corn 
to  bait  the  bed  for  several  days  to  come.  While 
Hiram  was  engaged  in  carrying  the  birds  to  a 
near  by  woods  road,  Ned  ran  home  and  returned 
with  Old  Mike,  the  family  horse,  to  haul  their 


NED  AIIXTOX.  21 

catch  to  town.  As  they  drove  down  the  main 
street,  men,  women  and  children  came  out  of  their 
houses  and  places  of  business  to  look  at  the 
pigeons.  Their  success  was  envied  by  all  the  boys 
and  caused  comments  far  and  near  among  the 
people.  Even  Pat  Murphy  in  summing  up  the 
the  matter  said,  "These  bies  are  ividintly  distined 
to  become  Prisidints  or  jail  birrids,  whichsomever 
it  is  harid  to  til." 

During  the  'next  two  weeks  the  boys  made 
several  successful  hauls;  but  after  that,  the  pigeons 
having  taken  their  flight  southward,  the  net  was 
put  aside  until  the  following  season. 


• 


ni.MTKK  III. 


The  LoRning  Wood*.—  Barking  Log».— 
Squirrel*.—  Shooting  Deer. 


Minton  applied  himself  diligently  to  his 
books,  during  school  terms,  until  he  readied 
liis  sixteenth  year:  then  he  became  restless  and 
determined  to  engage  in  some  kind  of  manual 
labor  for  a  diversion.  Hence  when  Mi-.  Minton 
sent  his  six  ox  team  to  the  Cranberry  Lakes,  on 
township,  number  thirty,  to  engage  in  logging,  he 
gratified  Ned  in  his  desire  to  go  and  do  the 
barking.  Snow  did  not  fall  that  year  in  depth. 
adequate  for  logging  purposes,  until  the  middle  of 
December,  consequently  the  team  was  not  sent  to 
the  woods  until  the  sixteenth  of  that  month. 

No  yarding  was  done,  in  those  days,  and  the 
only  timber  cut  was  pine,  taken  at  the  stump  and 
dragged  to  the  lake  or  stream  in  tree  lengths, 
from  forty  to  eighty  feet.  After  being  landed  the 
trees  were  cut  with  cross-cut  saws  into  logs 
ranging  from  sixteen  to  twenty-six  feet  in  length, 
save  those  suitable  for  masts,  some  of  which  were 
nearly  one  hundred  feet  in  length  and  brought,  in 
the  home  market,  about  one  dollar  per  foot, 

22 


NED  MIXTOX.  23 

running  measure.  The  trees  were  hauled  with  one 
end  resting  on  a  bob-sled,  the  hardwood  bunk  or 
bar,  which  supported  them,  being  seven  feet  in 
length,  (M<rht  inches  in  width  and  twelve  inches  in 
depth,  borne  up  by  heavy  runners,  six  inches  in 
thickness  and  ten  inches  in  depth,  and  shod 
with  iron  shoes  an  inch  or  more  in  thickness. 
The  tongue,  which  was  connected  by  a 
clevis  and  steel  pin,  to  the  yoke  of  the  pole 
cattle,  was  four  inches  thick  and  twelve  inches 
wide,  where  it  connected  Avith  the  roller,  tapering 
to  five  inches  at  the  point.  This  sled,  with  pole, 
weighed  fully  half  a  ton,  yet  previous  to  every 
trip  the  team  made  to  the  landing,  the  cattle  were 
removed  and  the  sled  was  turned  by  hand.  Two 
swampers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  assist,  stepped 
between  the  runners  and  grasping  the  enormous 
bar,  lifted  the  sled  from  the  ground,  the  teamster 
toting  around  the  forward  end,  meanwhile  hold 
ing  the  tongue  straight  in  air.  In  order  to  enable 
the  trees  to  slip  easily  over  the  ground,  it  was 
necessary  to  remove  the  rough  bark  and  knots 
from  one  side,  the  entire  length,  save  that  part 
which  rested  on  the  bunk,  and  the  four  or  five  feet 
which  projected  forward.  This  was  the  duty 
assigned  to  Ned  Mint  on,  as  barker,  and  it  was 
not,  by  any  means,  considered  an  enviable  job: 


'24  Tin:  .u>\  i:vn  KKS  OF' 

for  the  bark  was  usually  frozen  hard,  and  it 
required  energy  and  vim  to  prepare  iKnn  three  to 
five  trees,  for  each  turn,  and  from  eight  to  t» -n 
turns  each  day.  In  addition  to  removing  the 
bark  the  barker  was  required  to  hew  a  Hat  Miri'a in 
forming  a  face  a  foot  wide  and  about  three  feet  in 
length,  on  each  stick,  to  rest  on  the  bunk.  Then 
the  trees  were  securely  bound  with  chains  to  pre 
vent  them  from  turning  barked  side  up,  or  from 
slipping  from  the  bunk.  The  next  spring.  when 
discussing  the  merits  of  his  work  to  his  school 
companions,  Ned  said  "This  sort  of  work  which 
blistered  my  hands  and  made  my  back  ache  was 
not  entirely  to  my  liking ;  yet  I  was  forced  to 
keep  at  it  to  get  my  turns  ready  by  the  time  the 
team  came  back,  bark  off  and  every  knot  hewn 
smoothly,  just  to  the  teamsters  liking,  or  I  would 
always  be  measured  by  his  tongue  and  also  by 
his  goad,  unless  I  ran  beyond  its  reach." 

The  camp,  occupied  by  Mr.  Minton  ami  crew, 
was  an  old  one,  which  had  been  used  by  lowers 
several  winters,  consequently  all  the  timber,  handy 
by,  had  been  cut  and  hauled  previous  to  the 
operations  that  year;  thus  making  it  necessary 
for  his  crew  to  travel  about  two  miles,  to  and  from' 
their  work,  in  which  distance  was  included  the 
lake,  half  a  mile  in  width,  upon  which  the 


XED  MIXTON.  25 

were  landed  from  the  forest  on  the  farther  side. 
In  those  days  the  cook,  in  addition  to  his  work  of 
preparing  the  food,  was  expected  to  saw  all  the 
trees  into  log-  lengths,  on  the  landing,  clean  out 
the  hovel,  pick  fresh  boughs  for  the  bunks, 
whenever  the  bushes  chanced  to  be  free  from  snow 
and  ice,  and  carry  the  dinners  from  the  camp  to 
the  crew  in  the  woods,  where  he  usually  built  a 
fire  to  boil  the  tea  and  heat  the  hash.  The  fuel 
for  those  fires  was  always  dry  cedar,  small  dead 
trees  being  cut  down  to  serve  the  purpose.  This 
wood  is  more  snappy  than  any  other  kind  found 
in  the  forests  of  Maine,  hence  when  the  hash  was 
served  it  was  not  an  uncommon  occurence  to  find 
it  contained  fully  as  large  a  proportion  of  cedar 
coals  as  any  other  single  article  which  entered 
into  its  composition. 

When  the  hash  and  tea  were  ready  to  serve,  the 
cook  was  accustomed  to  mount  a  stump  or  log 
and  cry  out  dinner!  dinner!  dinner!  at  the 
top  of  his  stentorian  voice,  until  he  got  a  response 
from  the  swampers  or  choppers,  handy  by,  who, 
in  turn,  repeated  the  call  to  those  more  distant, 
until  all  had  been  duly  notified.  The  cook  always 
timed  his  call  to  correspond  with  the  return 
of  the  teamster  with  his  team  after  dumping  a 
turn  of  logs  on  the  lake.  When  all  were  seated 


26  THE  ADVKNTI  KKS  OF 

around  the  fire,  it  was  the  cook  who  acted  .-is 
master  of  (-eivmoim's  by  dipping  the  tea  from  the 
open  kettle,  a  pint  at  a  time,  for  each  man. 
serving  the  hash  and  occasionally  casting  a 
fresh  stick  upon  the  fire.  When  all  were  duly 
served,  he  usually  seated  himself  upon  a  stump 
and  eyed  the  men  suspiciously  to  note  if  they 
manifested  disapproval  of  his  methods  of  heating 
the  "snapper  hash,"  as  they  sometimes  termed  it. 
Ordinarily  not  more  than  twenty  minutes  were 
taken  by  the  crew  to  eat  the  mid-day  meal. 

After  dinner  each  man  filled  his  pipe  and  with  a. 
brand,  snatched  from  the  fire,  lighted  it  by  draw 
ing  vigorously  while  slowly  returning  to  his  work. 
The  oxen,  however,  were  allowed  an  hour  in  which 
to  eat  their  hay  and  rest;  and  when  hooked  to 
the  sled  again,  were  each,  invariably,  sleepily 
chewing  his  cud.  The  time  allowed  the  leaders 
to  ruminate,  however,  was  of  short  duration,  for 
they  were  required  to  assist  in  loading  the  trees,  by 
parbuckling  or  pulling  crosswise  on  a  warp,  into 
a  cross-haul  or  short  road,  at  right  angles  with 
the  main  road,  which  had  been  cleared  to  give 
t  hem  space  to  make  the  movement.  Preparation 
for  the  pull  was  made  by  placing  a  peeled  skid 
beneath  the  log,  one  end  resting  on  the  ground 
and  the  other  on  the  chock  behind  the  bunk ;  then 


NED  MIXTON.  27 

the  several  men,  in  position,  with  big  cant  hooks, 
<ravc  a  canting  lift  to  assist  the  cattle,  when  the 
teamster  raised  his  goad  as  a  signal  for  them  to 
make  the  pulL 

As  soon  as  the  sled  was  loaded  and  ready  to 
move,  however,  all  the  cattle  seemed  to  know  the 
fact,  by  intuition,  and  swallowed  their  cuds  to  be 
in  readiness  to  pull  for  their  very  lives,  until  the 
load  was  well  out  of  the  brush  and  deep  snow  and 
upon  the  hard  road.  The  load  was  sometimes 
very  heavy,  making  it  necessary  to  get  an  un 
usually  vigorous  pull.  At  such  times  the  teamster 
would  prepare  to  urge  his  cattle  by  first  taking  a 
fresh  chew  of  tobacco,  and  dancing  around  wildly. 
Then  he  would  yell  "Wohush!  wohush  there 
Bright  and  Brown !  Hus  Star !  Gee  up  there,  goll 
darn  you,  Broad !"  meanwhile  swinging  his  goad 
and  whacking  each  ox,  in  turn,  with  his  oak  stick 
h' ve  feet  in  length,  and  bradding  them  with  a  steel 
brad  one  and  one  half  inches  long,  held  securely 
in  the  end  of  the  goad  by  a  would  ing  of  waxed 
twine  along  the  stick  and  a  brass  ring  at  the  end. 
This  unmerciful  punishment  frequently  made  the 
oxen  bellow  with  pain  and  fright ;  then  with  their 
eyes  bulging  from  their  sockets  they  strained  and 
tugged  at  the  load,  going  so  slowly  at  first  that 
the  movement  was  almost  inperceptible. 


28  THE   ADVENTURES  OF 

On  reaching  the  hard  road,  however,  th<> 
teamster  ceased  these  flourishes  and  stopped  his 
t.-am  with  the  one  command,  "Wohush!"  to  give 
them  time  to  regain  their  wind. 

The  camps,  in  those  days,  were  not  especially 
noted  for  places  of  comfort,  yet  there  was  a 
certain  charm  about  them,  especially  for  boys. 
It  was  a  pleasant  sight  to  watch  the  glowing  fire 
produced  by  the  burning  of  hard  wood  logs,  a 
foot  through  and  six  in  length,  lifted  slighily 
from  the  hearth  by  stones  placed  at  either  end  of 
the  huge  fire  place  in  the  centre  of  the  camp. 
With  the  blaze  mounting  toward  the  open  smoke 
hole,  on  a  clear,  cold  night,  it  seemed  decidedly 
comfortable  to  sit  in  the  glow,  within  the  walls, 
and  watch  the  sparks  fly  upward  and  scatter 
among  the  tree  tops,  dimly  seen  through  the 
smoke,  nodding  and  swaying  in  the  evening 
breeze. 

If  the  dinners  were  unsatisfactory,  the  suppers, 
which  awaited  the  crew  returning  to  camp,  tired 
and  hungry,  more  than  compensated  for  the  lack 
of  appetising  morsels  in  the  mid-day  meal  At  no 
first-class  hotel  on  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  was 
ever  furnished  an  articleof  food  moredelicious  than 
beans,  taken  hot  from  the  bean  hole,  where  they 
had  been  buried  in  glowing  coals  deep  enough  to 


NED  MINTON.  29 

confine  the  steam,  and  had  remained  long  enough 
for  the  excessive  heat  to  completely  dissolve 
every  particle  of  the  three  layers  of  fat  pork  in 
the  bottom,  center  and  top  of  the  bean  pot, 
which  process  imparted  to  them  a  rich  flavor 
unattainable  by  any  other  method  known.  Those 
beans,  with  the  hot  biscuit  from  the  baker  just 
removed  from  before  the  open  fire  were  relished 
with  great  zest  by  the  hardy  lumbermen,  whose 
stomachs  never  were  known  to  give  a  dyspeptic 
twinge,  whatever  labor  was  exacted  of  them. 

After  supper  the  grindstone  was  usually  lifted 
from  the  "dingle"  and  placed  near  the  door  of  the 
camp,  facing  the  firelight,  where  all  the  axes  were 
ground  to  a  keener  edge  to  lighten  the  labors  of 
the  coming  morrow.  While  this  was  being  done, 
two  at  a  time,  the  other  members  of  the  crew  used 
their  best  talent  to  entertain  with  story  and 
song. 

Jack  Strong,  head  chopper,  was  a  big  fisted, 
jolly  fellow,  who  could  eat  a  quart,  or  more,  of 
baked  beans,  at  his  evening  meal,  with  impunity. 
This  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that,  following 
such  a  supper,  he  would  recline  on  the  boughs  of 
the  ground  bunk  and  be  lost  in  slumber,  his 
respirations  being  nearly  as  thunderous  as  a 
cataract.  Ned  and  Jack  were  good  friends  from 


30  THE  ADVENTURES  <•) 

the  start,  and  main  tim»»s  when  Ned  \vas  hard 
pressed,  to  get  his  turns  in  readiness,  Jack  came 
to  his  assistance  and  made  the  bark  fly  with  his 
keen  ax;  but  he  always  left  the  knots  for  Ned, 
whose  ax  was  kept  in  condition  to  stand  in 
seasons  of  thaw  or  frost. 

NVil  was  a  little  lonesome  when  Sundays  came, 
for  there  was  nothing  in  the  camp  to  read  but 
scraps  of  news  papers,  a  year  old,  and  some 
advertising  bills  which  had  served  as  wrappers 
about  goods  which  came  from  the  supply  store. 
After  breakfast  he  looked  those  over,  for  a  while, 
and  then  he  went  to  the  hay-shed  to  amuse 
himself  snaring  squirrels  with  a  twine  string 
slipknot  hung  from  a  pole.  He  noticed  that  these 
little  fellows  jumped  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 
grain  barrel,  and  after  filling  their  mouths 
with  meal,  returned  to  the  chime  and  leisurely 
stowed  it  away  in  their  jaws  to  safely  carry  to 
their  hole  in  some  far  away  stub.  While  they 
were  in  the  barrel,  he  assumed  a  position,  at  the 
proper  distance,  and  when  they  came  to  the  chime 
he  cast  the  noose,  drew  it  taut,  and  then  gave 
them  a  quick  surprise  by  hustling  them  into  a 
cage  prepared  for  their  reception. 

By  the  time  he  had  secured  liis  third 
Jack  Strong  came  from  the  camp  with  two 


NED  MINTON.  31 

loading  rifles  and  two  pairs  of  snow  shoes,  and 
told  Ned  that  he  was  going  out  to  try  to  shoot  a 
deer,  that  the  crew  might  have  some  fresh  meat, 
in  place  of  the  "Snapper  hash,"  and  asked  Ned  if 
he  would  like  to  go  with  him.  Ned  gladly 
assented,  but  doubted  his  ability  to  make  satis 
factory  progress,  on  the  snow  shoes,  for  he  had 
not  yet  tried  them. 

Jack  was  a  deer  hunter  of  long  experience  and 
was  familiar  with  all  their  habits.  If  a  herd  of 
deer  was  started,  he  could  predict  with  almost 
absolute  certainty  the  course  they  would  take,  ho  AV 
far  they  would  run  and  whether  they  would 
return  or  not,  calculating  all  these  things  from 
the  formation  of  the  land,  its  growth,  the  amount 
of  humidity  and  course  of  the  air.  Jack  assisted 
Ned  in  adjusting  his  snow  shoes  and  gave  him  a 
practical  lesson  in  walking  and  running  on  them. 

In  relating  his  first  experiences  in  hunting,  to 
his  chums,  after  his  return  home,  Ned  said — "The 
course  which  Jack  took  led  us  straight  to  a  thick 
cedar  swamp,  where  I  took  many  a  header  in  the 
snow,  while  trying  to  bound  over  the  brush,  in 
imitation  of  my  leader.  After  we  had  traveled 
half  a  mile  or  so  in  the  swamp,  we  came  upon  a 
hard  beaten  trail,  evidently  made  by  numerous 
deer.  This  trail  Jack  called  a  yard,  and  said  it 


*ll*  THF      \I>\  CNTI  Ci>    OF 

\v; is  circular,  and  instructed  me  to  travel  in  one 
direction  while  he  traveled  the  opposite  way. 
He  informed  me  that  deer  would  be  sure  to  circle 
toward  me,  if  I  kept  on  the  trail.  After  advising 
me  to  go  slowly  and  keep  my  eye  peeled,  he 
removed  his  snow  shoes  and  departed  as  silently 
as  a  cat,  leaving  me  to  my  own  meditations, 
which  were  not  over  assuring,  for  I  had  heard  the 
wolves  howling  on  the  lake,  a  few  nights  previous, 
and  had  witnessed  the  signs  of  their  pranks,  the 
next  morning,  around  the  bob-sled,  as  well  as  the 
power  in  their  jaws  on  a  cant  dog  stock,  which 
they  had  chewed  into  bits  in  their  efforts  to 
extract  what  nutriment  it  may  have  contained.  I 
plodded  along,  however,  with  as  brave  a  heart  as 
I  could  muster,  and  shortly  my  ear  caught  the 
sound  of  deer  rushing  along  the  beaten  trail.  I 
cocked  my  gun,  scarcely  being  able  to  keep  it 
steady,  in  my  great  excitement,  and  as  the 
foremost  came  into  view,  aimed,  and  pulled  the 
trigger.  The  deer  gave  a  bound  to  one  side  of  the 
trail  and  fell. 

I  threw  down  my  gun,  drew  my  knife  and  ran  to 
I!M'  spot  where  he  lay.  I  had  put  my  hand  on  his 
head  and  was  about  to  use  my  knife,  when  he 
gave  a  struggle,  reached  forward  with  his  long 
hind  legs,  and  gave  me  a  punch,  with  his  sharp 


NK!)    MIXTOX.  33 

hoofs  which  bruised  my  ribs  and  left  an  im 
pression  on  my  mind  of  a  prowess  and  vigor, 
possessed  by  deer,  far  greater  than  I  had  ever 
before  ascribed  to  them. 

When  I  had  gotten  the  snow  from  my  eyes,  I 
found  my  animal  had  gone,  and  I  was  unable  to 
find  a  drop  of  blood  near  the  spot  where  he  fell. 
As  I  stood  gazing  reflectively  into  space,  a  shot 
from  Jack's  rifle  brought  me  to  my  senses,  and  I 
ran  for  my  gun.  I  tried  to  reload,  in  season  for 
another  shot,  but  before  the  task  was  half  ac 
complished  a  number  of  deer  came  bounding 
along  the  trail  and,  seeing  me,  ran  away  into  the 
untrodden  swamp. 

Directly  Jack  hallooed;  then  I  started  down 
the  trail  and  wh^n  I  reached  him  I  found  that  he 
had  just  removed  the  entrails  from  a  fine  buck 
which  he  had  brought  down  by  his  shot.  While 
I  was  relating  my  mishap,  he  was  twisting  a 
couple  of  withes,  with  which  he  afterwards  tied 
together  the  legs  of  the  deer ;  then  he  indulged  in 
a  laugh,  at  my  expense,  and  remarked  that  I  had 
fired  too  high,  as  all  kids  were  apt  to  do,  and  that 
doubtless  my  bullet  struck  an  antler,  the  only 
effect  of  which  was  to  stun  the  animal. 

He  then  cut  a  small  pole  and  ran  it  lengthwise 
of  the  body  and  between  the  bound  legs  of  the 


:{ I  Tin:  AIIVKNTI'KKH  OF 

d»'.-r.    We  raised  the  pole  to  our  shoulders  ;unl  ,-is 

\\t>  laboriously  plodded  alonjr  with  tin-  carcass 
s\vayin<»:  back  and  forth.  1  had  ainjiK-  tijijiort  unity. 
before  we  reached  the  camp,  to  <  onic  to  a  correct 
conclusion  why  1  did  not  succeed  in  iM-ninjr  a 
deer  on  my  first  hunt. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A.  Snow  Storm. — A-ttaeKed.  by  "Wolves. — 
Safe  at  Camp. 

J\  the  logging  woods  both  man  and  beast  are 
supposed  to  work  through  storm  and  shine, 
unless  it  be  a  pouring  rain,  and  even  then  it  is 
seldom  that  the  men  are  allowed  to  go  to  the 
camp,  until  forced  to  suspend  labor  by  reason  of 
gathering  darkness. 

Mr.  Minton's  team  had  been  in  the  woods  about 
four  weeks,  when  there  came  on  a  very  severe 
snow  storm,  nearly  three  feet,  piling  down  and 
blocking  the  roads.  In  woods  parlance,  "a  bob 
sled  full;"  meaning  enough  to  form  a  smooth 
surface  over  the  bob-sled  in  the  camp  yard,  where 
it  was  usually  left  over  night.  This  storm  came 
on  unexpectedly,  and  at  a  time  when  the  cattle 
were  nearly  out  of  hay.  Mr.  Minton  doubted  if  his 
truck  team  would  be  able  to  get  in  with  hay  from 
\Vesley,  the  nearest  town,  for  a  week  or  more, 
hence  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  getting  a 
supply  elsewhere  to  last  until  the  roads  became 
passable.  He  had  a  few  stacks  of  meadow  liny  on 
Crooked  River,  five  or  six  miles  distant,  which  he 

35 


•'{<>  TIIK    AltVKNTrUKS   OF 

thought  mi^lit  IK-  reached.  ;uid  after  due  con 
sideration,  he  ordered  .lack  Strong,  his  head 
chopper,  and  his  son  Ned.  to  i;iki>  ••<  )ld  Mike"  and 
break  a  track  to  the  stream,  and  if  possible,  haul 
in  a  small  load. 

Ned  was  delighted  with  this  opportunity  to  get 
a  n-spite  from  barking  logs  from  day-break  until 
dark,  for  the  job  had  now  become  somewhat 
irksome  to  him,  as  well  as  laborious.  As  soon  as 
he  received  the  order  to  go,  he  began  shoveling 
the  snow  from  the  horse-sled,  while  .lack  put  up 
then-rain  for  the  horse  and  food  for  himself  and 
Ned.  Then  he  got  two  hay-forks,  a  shovel  and  an 
ax.  and  after  lashing  everything  securely  to  the 
sled,  Ned  led  old  Mike  from  the  hovel,  and  in  a  few 
moments  he  was  harnessed  and  on  the  road  to 
the  stream,  which  lay  in  the  direction  of  t  In 
set  t  lenient. 

The  snow  was  deep,  and  the  horse  floundered 
along  laboriously,  stopping  frequently  to  regain 
his  wind,  so  that  when  they  arrived  where  tin- 
stacks  were,  it  was  nearly  sunset.  Xed  loosed 
the  horse  from  the  sled  and  led  him  around  to  the 
lea  side  of  a  stack:  then  he  removed  the  harness, 
and  buckled  on  the  blanket,  for  he  was  perspiring 
freely.  Next  liesecured  him  to  the  foundation 
stake  of  the  stack,  and  gave  him  a  liberal  feed  of 


NED  MIXTOX.  37 

"•rain,  and  free  access  to  the  hay.  Jack  then 
mounted  the  .stack  and  pitched  down  about  two 
hundred  pounds  to  Ned,  who  stowed  it  on  the 
sled;  then  Ned  brought  up  the  pail  of  food,  and 
they  too  ate  their  lunch,  while  the  horse  was 
eating. 

They  had  scarcely  finished,  however,  when  a 
wolf  down  the  stream,  but  a  short  distance  away, 
commenced  to  howl  dismally.  In  a  few  moments 
an  answering  howl  came  from  the  opposite 
direction,  then  there  began  a  sound  most  doleful 
and  terrifying,  evidently  from  the  throats  of  a 
large  and  hungry  pack.  A  streak  of  pallor  over 
spread  Ned's  face,  and  as  he  looked  at  Jack 
inquiringly,  he  uttered  the  one  word,  "Jimminy  !" 

Jack  spoke  assuringly  to  Ned,  telling  him  that 
they  need  not  fear,  for  they  would  remain  where 
they  were  until  morning,  and  with  a  position  on 
the  top  of  the  stack,  and  armed  with  their  forks, 
they  could  successfully  defend  themselves  against 
a  score  of  wolves  even  though  they  were  raven 
ously  hungry.  It  was  an  easy  matter  to  get  fuel, 
to  build  a  fire,  there  being  plenty  of  small,  dry 
hackmatack  trees,  near  by,  which  had  been  killed 
several  years  previous  by  the  flowage  of  the 
stream.  Jack  knew  that  wolves  were  usually 
cowardly,  in  daylight,  hence  he  began  chopping 

2 


•t*  THK    AUVKNTCUKS    or 

(l()\Vll  tin-  trees.  ;is  fast   ;is  In-  was  able.  \\  hile  it    \\ ; I > 

vet  light.  He  told  Ne<l  that  he  did  not  fear  an 
attack  until  after  dark,  and  to  tote  the  wood  to 

the  stack  ;is  fast  as  lie  could.  Ned  worked  busily. 
His  first  poles  Were  Canted  against  the  stack,  that 
he  ami  .lack  might  make  a  speedy  climb  in  case  of 
need. 

In  an  hours  time  enough  wood  was  prepared 
and  carried  in  to  keep  the  fire  burning  brightly 
through  the  night.  The  job  was  accomplished 
none  too  (piickly.  however,  for  the  gloom  of  night 
was  gathering,  under  the  tree  tops,  and  the  wolves 

had  closed  down  near  enough  for  Ned  and  .lack  to 

occasionally  catch  a  glimpse  of  their  movements 
and  sense  their  near  presence  by  the  sound  of 
their  jaws,  as  they  snapped  them  together. 

tapping  time,  as  Ned  expressed  it,  to  their  soim. 

which  sounded  fearful  enough  to  raise  ones  hair 
on  end.  Old  Mike  had  long  since  r.-ased  to  eat 
and  was  snort in.ir  and  tugging  at  his  halter  in  his 
efforts  to  break  away. 

While  -Fack  shoveled  the  snow  from  a  spot  on 
which  to  build  the  fire.  Neil  put  the  forks  and  ax 
on  the  top  of  the  stack,  where  they  would  be  in 
readiness.  After  fastening  the  horse  more 
securely,  he  pulled  an  armful  of  hay  from  the 
stack  and  crowded  it  between  the  logs,  laid  for  the 


XKI)   MIXTOX.  -W 

fire,  and  set  a  match  to  it.  Immediately  the  land 
scape  lighted  up,  then  even  the  bravest  of  the 
wolves  fell  back  out  of  sight ;  but  the  pack  con 
tinued  to  howl  even  more  frightfully  than  before. 
Later,  in  the  night,  their  howls  turned  to  snarls  as 
if  they  were  fighting  among  themselves ;  then  the 
sounds  became  more  indistinct  and.  finally, 
ceased. 

In  half  an  hour  an  owl  began  to  hoot  from  his 
perch  on  the  limb  of  an  old  stub,  at  the  further 
side  of  the  stream,  and  old  Mike  contentedly 
resumed  eating,  which  was  taken,  by  the  boys,  as 
an  indication  of  safer  conditions. 

The  danger  of  an  attack  having  apparently 
passed,  Ned  grew  very  sleepy  and  began  to  nod. 
Jack  told  him  he  thought  they  could  now  venture 
to  take  a  nap;  so  after  piling  a  fresh  supply  of 
fuel  on  the  fire,  they  ascended  the  hay-stack  ;m<l 
dug  a  hole  next  to  the  stac'k-pole,  into  which  they 
slid,  and  in  a  half  reclining  position  soon  fell 
asleep. 

How  long  they  slept  they  could  not  afterward 
tell,  but  they  were  suddenly  awakened  by  old 
Mike,  who  was  snorting  and  tearing  around  in 
greater  terror  than  in  the  early  evening.  .lack 
and  Ned  sprang  up  quickly,  each  grappling  his 
fork  and  assuming  a  position  of  defence.  The  fire 


40  THK    ADVKNTl'HKS    ()F 

had  burned  low  and  in  the  dense  darkness  no 
moving  objects  were  discernible.  Fort  unately 
the  smouldering  embers  wen-  not  far  distant,  so 
.lack  lifted  a  large  fork  full  of  hay  and  cast  it 

Upon  the  Coals.  A  dense  smoke  arose  followed  by 
a  bright  blaze.  The  light  seemed  to  give  Ned 
more  courage  and  he  slid  from  the  stack  and 
quickly  raked  the  brands  together  and  topped 
them  with  a  fresh  supply  of  dry  wood.  This  was 
scarcely  accomplished  when  it  seemed,  to  Ned.  that 
all  the  inmates  of  pandemonium  had  broken 
loose;  for  a  dozen  wolves,  which  were  within  a 
few  feet  of  old  Mike,  and  were  about  to  tear  him  in 
pieces,  set  up  a  howl  of  disappointment  more 
terrifying  than  any  other  sound  ever  heard,  by 
Ned.  before.  When  this  dreadful  din  commenced, 
Ned  dropped  the  stick  which  he  was  about  to  c.-ist 
upon  the  fire,  ran  to  the  stack,  seized  the  end  of 
the  fork-handle  reached  him,  by  Jack,  who  quickly 
drew  him  to  the  top.  The  fire  was  now  burning 
brightly,  but  Ned  had  been  so  thoroughly 
frightened  that  he  could  not  be  induced  to  de 
scend  to  the  ground  again  until  the  gloom  of 
night  had  been  fully  dispelled  by  the  rising  sun. 

When  morning  came  quietude  pervaded  the 
forest,  and  surrounding  country,  the  wolves 
evidently  having  taken  their  departure.  A  little 


NED  MIXTOX.  41 

more  hay  was  then  pitched  on  the  sled  and,  after 
feeding  the  horse,  Xed  and  Jack  lunched  on 
frozen  doughnuts,  washed  down  with  cold  water 
dipped  from  the  stream. 

Breakfast  over,  they  took  their  forks  and 
visited  the  spot  where  the  wolves  had  held 
their  orgy  the  night  before.  They  found  the  snow 
trampled,  to  a  solid  mass,  and  stained  with 
blood.  A  deer  had  been  killed  and  the  flesh 
and  bones,  save  the  skull,  had  been  devoured. 
Evidently  the  flock  had  fought  over  the  remains, 
for  the  snow  was  tinged  with  blood  from  this  spot 
to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  hay-stack. 

After  satisfying  their  curiosity,  Ned  and  Jack 
harnessed  the  horse  and  started  for  the  camp. 
When  they  had  driven  about  three  miles,  of  the 
way,  they  met  several  members  of  the  crew,  coming 
to  their  relief,  with  guns  and  axes.  These  men 
said  that  the  wolves  had  been  plainly  heard  at 
camp,  six  miles  distant.  They  were  almost 
surprised  to  find  both  boys  and  horse  alive  and 
unharmed,  for  an  old  hunter,  in  the  crew,  had 
pronounced  the  varied  tones  of  the  pack  indica 
tive  of  victory  over  either  man  or  beast. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Sudden  Change  in  the  Weather.—  A.  Gumming 

Cruise.—  Victorious  Encounter  With 

Beurs.—  Ned  VJslta  Home. 


changes  in  the  weather  is  a  frequent 
and  not  unlocked  for  occurrence,  in  Washing 
ton  Count}',  therefore  no  one  in  Mr.  Minton's 
crew  was  surprised,  on  awakening  the  following 
morning,  of  the  trip  made  by  Jack  Strong  and 
Ned  Minton,  to  Crooked  River,  to  hear  the  rain 
pattering  down  in  forceful  showers  upon  the  splits 
which  covered  the  camp,  nor,  upon  going  out, 
were  they  surprised  to  find  that  the  warm  south 
wind  was  aiding  the  rain  in  sweeping  the 
snow  away,  and  sending  it  in  a  liquid  flood  to  the 
stream.  Notwithstanding  that  but  a  few  hours 
had  passed  since  the  thaw  began,  the  w;it«-r  had 
already  become  several  feet  higher  in  the  lake, 
than  on  the  previous  morning,  and  the  ice,  next 
to  the  shores,  was  covered  to  a  depth  of  several 
feet,  which  made  it  impossible  to  reach  the  body 
of  the  lake  with  a  team,  from  either  side. 

When  Jack  learned  these  conditions,  he  knew 
there   would   be  no   logging,   for  several  days, 

42 


NED  MIXTON.  43 

consequently  he  planned  a  cruise  for  gum.  He 
opened  his  pack  and  took  from  it  two  pairs  of 
climbers,  which  he  had  made  several  years 
previously.  He  handed  one  pair  to  Ned,  who 
looked  them  over  inquiringly;  but  when  Jack 
explained  that  they  were  to  strap  to  the  legs  to 
enable  one  to  climb  the  body  of  gum  trees,  while 
gathering  choice  nuggets,  from  the  seams,  he 
understood  Jack's  object  in  presenting  them  to 
him,  and  was  glad  of  the  diversion.  "But,"  said 
he,  "where  are  the  guns?  I'm  not  going  gumming 
without  them."  "Why,  do  you  need  guns  to  pick 
gum  with,"  asked  Jack?  No!  not  by  a  duced 
sight,"  said  Ned,  "but  I  have  just  passed  one 
night  up  a  hay  stack,  and  it  is  too  soon  to  be 
forced  to  pass  another  up  a  tree,  especially  as 
cold  a  one  as  this  is  likely  to  be,  now  that  the 
wind  has  changed.  It  is  dampening  to  a  fellows 
spirits  to  pass  a  cold  night  on  a  hay-stack,  but 
that  would  be  a  mild  affair  compared  to  hanging 
to  a  tree  by  climbers  with  a  flock  of  wolves 
waiting  below  for  a  fellow  to  get  benumbed  from 
cold  and  fall  into  their  jaws.  Jack  sawr  that 
Ned's  argument  was  a  good  one,  backed  by  sound 
reason,  when  he  allowed  his  mind  to  revert  to  the 
experiences  of  a  recent  date,  therefore  the  guns 
were  taken  in  the  interest  of  self  defence. 


44  THE  ADVKNTrHES  OF 

Jack  led  the  way  straight  for  a  ridge,  of  old 
growth  spruce,  about  three  miles  distant,  where 
he  knew  they  would  find  the  seams,  in  the  hark, 
filled  with  lumps  of  choice  gum.  When  they  got 
among  the  trees,  they  found  them  to  be  so  large 
that  the  climbers  could  not  be  made  available; 
yet  they  found  a  good  deal  of  gum  which  they 
reached  from  the  ground.  They  also  punched  off 
some  fine  nuggets  higher  up,  with  long,  slender 
spruce  poles  cut  and  sharpened,  chisel  shape,  at 
the  end,  for  the  purpose. 

W hen  Jake  and  Ned  started  for  the  camp,  late 
in  the  afternoon,  they  each  had  a  stocking  full 
attached  to  their  belts. 

On  the  way  home  they  struck  a  trail  made  by 
bears,  evidently  flooded  from  their  den,  since  the 
beginning  of  the  rain.  Ned  was  determined  to 
follow  them  and  try  to  get  a  shot ;  but  Jack  said 
it  was  too  late  to  think  of  it  until  next  morning. 
He  had  no  doubt  that  they  were  making  for 
another  den,  not  far  distant,  and  thought  it 
would  be  better  to  let  them  get  settled  before 
attacking  them. 

Nothing  was  said  to  the  rest  of  the  crew,  about 
the  bears,  although  Ned  was  so  excited  over  it 
that  he  came  near  telling  several  times  before 
going  to  bed.  The  next  morning  he  was  up  and 


NED  MINTON.  45 

astir  early.  He  had  slept  but  little,  and  when  he 
did,  had  dreamed  of  bears  and  wolves  mingled 
with  other  animals  monstrous  to  behold. 

After  breakfast  Mr.  Minton  set  some  of  his  men 
at  work  making  a  new  bunk-bar  and  others  were 
called  upon  to  assist  in  making  a  new  cattle  yoke. 
One  pair  of  oxen  had  formed  the  habit  of  "hauling 
off"  as  it  was  called,  and  nothing  would  break 
them  of  it,  the  teamster  said,  but  to  put  them  in 
a  longer  yoke.  Ned  expected  that  Jack  would  be 
called  upon  to  do  some  of  this  work,  as  he  was 
very  handy  with  tools,  but  Mr.  Minton  purposely 
did  not  set  Jack  any  task,  for  there  was  a  piece  of 
timber  said  to  stand  on  the  side  of  the  lake  on 
which  the  crew  were  camping,  which  they  could 
haul  during  the  freshet  and  land  in  rolling-tiers, 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  lake,  and  he  thought  that 
Jack,  being  head  chopper,  might  like  to  take  this 
time  to  cruise  this  and  plan  to  work  his  crew 
here  until  it  was  possible  to  resume  work  at  the 
former  seat  of  operation.  So  Jack,  who  was 
always  known  to  work  for  the  interest  of  the 
team,  was  allowed  to  take  his  own  course. 

When  the  men  had  become  busily  engaged  on 
the  work,  which  Mr.  Minton  had  laid  out  for  them, 
Jack  and  Ned  started  out,  taking  the  rifles  and  a 
sheath  knife  each.  They  struck  the  bear  trail 


4<>  THE   ADVKNTI  i;i>   OF 

near  the  point  where  they  came  upon  it  the  night 
before,  and  after  following  it  for  a  mile  or  more, 
Jack  remarked  that  his  prediction  lh.it  the  bears 
were  going  to  a  den  which  they  had  occupied 
before  was  evidently  correct.  The  bears  were 
manifesting  unusual  cunning  in  their  method  of 
advancement,  thus  requiring  experience  and 
judgment  to  follow  the  trail  which  at  certain 
points  was  inperceptible  for  many  rods.  At  times 
it  was  lost  in  open  water,  where  there  wen- 
ripples ;  then,  again,  faint  signs  were  seen  on  hard 
ice.  Farther  on  the  bears  left  the  stream  and 
crossed  an  intervale  to  the  woods,  and  returned 
to  the  stream  again,  on  the  same  trail,  usin^ 
intelligent  methods,  apparently,  to  baffle  pursuit. 
On  they  traveled,  until  they  came  to  another 
intervale,  covered  with  alders  flattened  down  and 
frozen  to  the  ice,  forming  a  smooth  bridge.  Here 
they  turned  toward  the  woods,  walking  carefully 
on  the  alders  and  leaving  no  mark,  save  here  and 
there  a  bit  of  bark  torn  slightly  by  a  nail.  Jack 
felt  sure  this  was  their  last  grand  move,  and 
predicted  that  they  would  find  the  trail,  in  the 
forest,  leading  straight  to  the  den. 

"There  is  no  doubt,"  said  Jack,  "but  that  \\t> 
will  have  a  lively  time  when  we  reach  them ;  but 
we  have  this  advantage;  bears  which  have  been 


NED  MIXTON.  47 

lying-  for  weeks  inactive  in  a  den  lose  much  of 
their  activity  and  are  not  so  dangerous  to  con 
tend  with."  Now  you  just  keep  cool,  Neddy,  and 
when  you  shoot,  aim  straight  for  the  eye,  and  if 
they  rush  for  you,  retreat  lively  while  loading.  If 
we  do  this,  you  need  have  no  fear  that  the  bears 
will  get  at  us,  nor  will  they  get  away  from  us." 
Xed  answered  that  he  would  do  just  as  he  was 
told.  He  was  putting  on  as  bold  a  front  as 
possible,  yet  it  was  plain  to  see  that  he  was 
somewhat  nervous;  yet  he  undoubtedly  felt 
there  were  more  chances  in  his  favor  than  when 
the  wolves  were  circling  about  him  in  the  darkness 
a  few  nights  previous,  when  his  only  weapon  was  a 
pitch  fork.  Also  the  experiences  of  that  night  had 
created  a  desire  in  him,  never  before  felt,  to  par 
ticipate  in  such  exciting  events. 

After  traveling  in  silence,  about  half  a  mile 
further,  they  halted  under  the  top  of  a  large 
spruce  tree,  blown  over  and  lodged  about  twenty 
feet  from  the  ground.  The  top  of  an  enormous, 
upturned  root  was  plainly  visible  from  the 
position  which  they  occupied.  Jack  lifted  his 
finger,  as  an  indication  to  be  cautious,  and  then 
pointed  toward  the  root.  Ned  understood  as 
plainly  as  though  Jack  had  said  in  words  "They 
are  there." 


48  THE   ADVKNTIKKS  OF 

After  cocking  their  guns,  the3T  crept  around  to 
the  front  of  the  root,  where  partially  in  vi»»w,  lay 
a  large  bear,  apparently  enjoying  his  morning 
nap.  Jack  took  aim  and  sent  a  bullet  straight 
through  his  brain.  While  he  was  in  his  death 
struggle,  another  bear  arose  and  put  her  paws 
upon  the  body  of  the  dead  one,  and  as  she  looked 
about,  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  noise  and 
disturbance,  Ned  took  aim  and  fired  a  deadly 
shot.  Jack  had  by  this  time  reloaded  and  stood 
in  readiness.  Then  two  more  bears  came  rushing 
from  beneath  the  root,  snarling  savagely  and 
showing  their  teeth.  They  rushed  straight  at  the 
boys ;  but  before  they  reached  them  Jack  shot  the 
larger  one.  The  other  turned  and  ran  away. 
Ned  Followed,  reloading  as  he  went.  Jack's 
statement  that  bears,  long  in  the  den,  lose  much  of 
their  quickness,  was  correct,  for  Ned,  who  was 
closely  followed  by  Jack,  had  no  difficulty  in 
keeping  pace,  although  the  bear  was  fleeing  for 
her  life. 

As  soon  as  he  had  finished  loading,  he  fired,  the 
bullet  passing  the  length  of  the  body  without 
touching  a  vital  spot.  This  caused  Bruin  to 
moan  with  pain ;  then  she  turned  angrily  to  show 
fight.  When  she  got  within  a  few  feet  of  them, 
she  stood  straight,  and  snarling  savagely,  beat 


NED  MINTON.  49 

the  air  defiantly  with  her  fore  paws.  Jack's 
unerring  rifle  again  spoke,  then  the  fourth  and 
last  bear,  in  the  lot,  fell  to  rise  no  more. 

Ned's  lips  were  tightly  set  until  the  last  shot 
was  fired ;  then  he  laughed,  shouted,  and  danced 
with  excitement  and  joy,  until  he  had  given  full 
vent  to  his  feelings.  Happy  and  proud,  he  turned 
back  toward  the  camp  to  report  to  his  father, 
who  became  nearly  as  excited  as  his  son,  when  he 
heard  what  had  happened.  He  assisted  Ned  in 
harnessing  Mike  to  the  moose  runner  sled;  then 
they  started  out,  clearing  the  road  as  they  went. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  they  reached 
the  spot,  where  they  found  Jack  had  been  busily 
at  work  removing  the  entrails,  and  "blazing"  a 
road  from  the  thick  swamp  to  the  open  growth. 

When  the  team  returned  with  the  bears,  the 
crew  were  much  interested  in  the  success  of  the 
hunting  trip,  and  declared  that  the  boys  stood  on 
a  par  with  Fremont  and  Carson  as  successful 
hunters. 

The  next  day  Ned  got  permission,  of  his  father, 
to  take  the  game  to  Machias,  where  he  disposed 
of  the  hides  and  meat  for  seventy-fiive  dollars. 
He  also  received  a  state  bounty  of  twenty  dollars 
additional. 

After  disposing  of  his  game,  Ned  went  home  to 


50  THE  AI»VI:NTI  KI:S  OF 

see  his  mother  and  sisters  and  tell  them  the 
experiences  of  his  short  trip  to  the  lumber  woods. 
Also  his  old  friend,  Hiram  Quagley,  to  whom  he 
gave  a  most  graphic  description  of  all  th; it  had 
happened,  and  impressed  him  deeply  with  the 
importance  of  being  one  of  a  logging  crew,  so  far 
away  from  home.  To  emphasize  this,  he  showed 
Hite  his  money,  nearly  a  hundred  dollars,  which 
he  informed  him  was  to  be  equally  divided 
between  himself  and  Jack. 

During  this  interview  they  also  talked  with  a 
great  deal  of  enthusiasm  of  their  plans  for  netting 
pigeons  the  coming  season. 

Ned  expected  to  start  back  for  the  woods,  in  a 
day  or  two,  and  had  resolved  to  carry  the  crew 
something  for  a  treat ;  but,  as  yet,  he  had  been 
unable  to  decide  what  it  should  be,  for  he  wished 
it  to  be  something  which  would  be  equally 
acceptable  to  all.  He  had  thought  of  buying  a 
box  of  cigars,  every  man  in  the  crew  being 
addicted  to  the  habit  of  smoking,  but,  upon  con 
sulting  his  mother,  she  advised  him  to  take  pies 
instead.  She  told  him  that  she  would  make  up  a 
dozen  each  of,  mince  and  pumpkin  pies,  for  him  to 
take  back  and  he  could  surprise  the  crew  the  next 
Sunday  with  his  spread.  She  thought  pies  would 
do  them  more  good  than  cigars,  and  Ned  thought 


NED  MINTOX.  51 

so  too,  after  he  had  heard  all  his  mother  had  to 
say  in  relation  to  the  poisonous  weed.  That 
nearly  every  man  who  worked  in  the  lumbering 
woods,  in  those  days,  used  tobacco  in  some  form, 
was  not,  at  all,  convincing  to  her  mind  that  it  was 
not  an  evil,  even  if  those  who  smoked  it  did  claim 
that  it  was  soothing  to  the  nerves  and  a  comfort, 
when  lonely  and  depressed,  and  away  from  home. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Ned     Returns    to    Camp.—  Relates    A  mussing 

Incident.—  Freaenta  tlae  Crew  wltn  Plea.— 

Booming   the    Loga.—  Preparation* 

to    I-ieti  irt  i    Home. 


Minton  was  a  favorite,  in  his  father's  camp, 
and  while  at  hom<>  was  greatly  missed  by  the 
crew.  He  was  of  a  numerous  turn,  and  often  kept 
the  men  in  good  spirits  by  relating  lau^lial  tit- 
stories  of  himself  and  his  boy  companions.  When 
in  school,  his  best  work  was  performed  on  the  daj'8 
when  the  other  studies  were  set  aside,  and  the  time 
devoted  to  writing  and  reading  essays  or  compo 
sitions.  Nearly  all  the  parents  visited  the  school 
at  that  time  to  witness  the  work  of  their  children. 
Ned  always  had  something  decidedly  original  and 
numerous.  When  he  arose  to  read  his  com 
position  there  was  perfect  silence,  but  before  he 
had  proceeded  far,  he  was  nearly  always  forced  to 
suspend  the  reading  until  quiet  was  restored  ;  for 
teacher,  pupils  and  visitors  would,  by  this  time, 
be  indulging  in  incontrollable  laughter. 

When  he  returned  to  the  woods,  his  juvscnrf 
was  like  a  burst  of  sunshine  to  the  crew.     When 


NED  MIXTON.  53 

they  had  finished  their  evening  meal,  Bill  Sabery, 
one  of  the  swampers,  said,  "Well,  Neddy,  its 
lonely  we've  been  widout  ye;  and  hadn't  Si 
Wagley,  who  was  thrucking  beyant  us  lift  us  a 
coge  of  gin  from  his  keg,  we  would  a  had  the  blues 
all-togither.  Now,  me  honey,  can't  ye  relate  a 
bit  av  a  yarn  for  our  intertainment?  Till  us 
something  that  befell  ye,  while  ye  was  down 
amongst  the  gintry,  and  till  it  in  yer  most  illigint 
way." 

"Well,  to  please  you,  I  will  try,"  said  Ned. 
"Have  you  fellows  ever  had  the  experimental 
knowledge  necessary  to  impress  upon  your  minds 
the  fact  that  there  are  days  in  one's  life,  when 
everything  seems  to  go  wrong,  from  the  rising  to 
the  setting  of  the  sun?  If  you  have  never  had 
such  an  experience,  I  can  tell  you  I  had,  one  cold 
day,  when  at  home.  To  commence  with,  I  will 
say — I  arose  and  went  to  the  barn  to  feed  and 
milk  the  cows,  for  mother,  who  has  none  too  easy 
a  time,  with  no  boy,  about  the  house,  to  do  the 
outside  chores,  when  I  am  gone.  It  was  a  cold 
morning,  and  I  wore  my  mitts,  to  feed  in,  but 
took  them  off  and  placed  them  upon  the  sawdust 
bin  preparatory  to  milking.  When  my  milking 
\vas  done  I  looked  for  my  mitts,  but  they  had 
departed  forever.  I  noticed  the  calf  rolling  some- 


."4  THK  AI»\  r.NTi  KI>  OF 

thing;  on  his  tongue,  which  he  seemed  to  treat  as 
a  Mvt-rt  and  savory  morsel,  and,  upon  investi 
gation,  I  found  that  my  striped  mitts,  with  the 
fancy  wrist  ers.  had  been  converted  into  a  cud,  for 
that  calf  to  take  his  first  ruminating  practice  upon. 
I  felt  the  loss  keenly,  for  my  mother  had  sold  a 
beef  cow,  to  a  man  who  lived  in  an  adjoining  town, 
and  I  had  promised  her  I  would  make  the  delivery 
that  day,  and  I  needed  the  mitts,  for  the  weather 
was  unusually  cold. 

Before  I  started,  however,  I  found  an  old  pair 
which  served  me  as  a  substitute.  The  cow  had 
iit-ver  been  broken  to  the  halter  and  I  had  no  idea 
what  a  dexterous  time  I  was  to  have.  I  was 
bounced  around,  in  my  big  overcoat,  until  the 
beady  drops  chased  each  other  in  quick  succession 
from  the  peak  of  my  nose.  I  was  stuffy  and  held 
on  with  varied  experiences.  Sometimes  I  was 
snaked  along  with  ever  increasing  speed,  the  air 
producing  a  ringing  in  my  ears,  like  the  sound  of 
many  waters.  This  was  followed  by  a  reversed 
action  which  nearly  unjoin  ted  my  neck.  Then 
came  the  sulks,  requiring  gentle  or  forceful  per 
suasion  to  induce  the  fiitful  beast  to  proceed,  and, 
when  she  did  move,  there  was  no  manifest  abate 
ment  in  power  or  speed.  As  the  sun  neared  the 
zenith  I  consoled  myself  with  the  apparent  fact 


XED  MIXTOX.  55 

that  I  was  approaching  my  journey's  end,  and 
felt  that  my  troubles  would  soon  be  o'er.  Imagine 
my  surprise  and  disappointment,  on  coming  in 
sight  of  the  house,  where  I  expected  to  leave  my 
flighty  animal,  and  take  my  cash,  to  see  the 
windows  and  doors  securely  boarded  up,  and  no 
one  in  sight  with  whom  I  could  pass  an  inquiring 
word. 

The  next  house  was  half  a  mile  further  on,  but 
the  only  reasonable  course  left  me  was  to  proceed. 
By  flighty  jumps  the  distance  was  accomplished, 
and  I  tied  my  cow  to  the  cedar  fence  in  front  of 
the  house,  while  I  gained  admittance  at  the  back 
door,  to  learn  from  the  inmates  that  my  cus 
tomer  had  moved  to  a  place  three  miles  back  on 
the  road  just  traversed. 

When  I  returned  to  my  cow,  I  found  that  a 
serious  mishap  had  befallen  her,  for  she  had  got 
ten  her  head  under  the  fence  with  a  turn  of  the 
rope  around  her  neck,  at  a  tension  of  F  sharp, 
and  a  sound  was  issuing  from  her  throat  which 
left  no  doubt  that  if  relief  came  not,  speedily,  she 
would  bid  adieu  to  earthly  ties,  and  her  immortal 
part  wing  its  way  to  a  sphere  unknown. 

I  felt  in  my  pocket  for  my  knife,  but  again  I  was 
balked  by  fate,  for  it  was  not  there.  I  tried  to 
remove  the  rails,  but  they  were  frozen  fast.  In 


56  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

my  desperation,  I  seized  her  by  the  appendage 
called  a  tail,  and  with  one  mighty  heave  ho  lads! 
as  the  sailors  say,  I  gained  enough  slack  to  untie 
the  rope. 

The  speed  made  by  the  cow  over  that  three 
miles  of  home  stretch,  to  the  place  where  I  made 
the  delivery,  could  not  be  duplicated  by  the  swift 
est  ostrich.  After  I  returned  home  I  subsided 
into  perfect  rest  until  my  flesh  became  easy  and 
my  bones  had  resumed  their  normal  condition. 

"Is  that  the  whole  of  it,"  asked  Bill  Sabery, 
trying  to  draw  him  out  further,  if  possible. 
"Yes,"  said  Ned,  "That  is  the  whole  of  it,  I  guess, 
except  that  to  reward  me  my  mother  made  two 
dozen  pies  and  sent  them  up  to  you  fellows  by  me, 
because  she  knew  that  would  please  me  far  more 
than  any  other  deed  she  could  do.  The  pies  are 
yours,  and  to  know  that  my  mother  made  them, 
is  to  know  that  you  never  ate  better  ones  in  your 
life. 

"Well,  me  bie,"  said  Bill,  "howsomiver  good  the 
pies  bees,  I'll  hould  you  for  a  sixpence  that  there's 
divil  a  wan  here  but  will  say  the  story  is  bether 
nor  the  pies.  But  your  moother  is  as  foin  as  any 
Irish  leddy  in  ould  Ireland,  and  the  next  time  Si 
Wagley  laves  me  a  drap  of  gin,  I'll  drink  her 
health  and  so  I  will. 


NED  MIXTOX.  57 

"You  had  better  not,"  said  Ned,  laughingly, 
•'for  she  doesn't  like  gin,  or  tobacco  either." 

The  average  conditions  for  logging,  during  that 
winter,  were  good,  and  on  the  morning,  of  the 
tenth  of  March,  Mr.  Minton  announced  that  he 
would  suspend  logging,  that  night,  and  com 
mence  building  his  boom  preparatory  to  return 
ing  home.  The  crew  hailed  this  with  delight,  and 
early  on  the  following  morning  began  this  work 
with  a  will.  It  matters  little  how  late  in  the 
season  a  crew  is  kept,  every  man  works  on 
contentedly  and  uncomplainingly,  until  the  word 
is  given  to  build  the  boom.  That  order  means 
home,  and  no  class  of  men  possess  a  stronger 
love  for  home  than  the  sturdy  lumbermen,  there 
fore  let  none  be  surprised  that  they  sometimes 
play  boj'ish  pranks,  in  those  last  days,  in  which 
they  work  with  lighter  hearts  than  at  any  time 
since  beginning  labor,  in  the  depth  of  the  forest, 
the  better  to  provide  for  the  needs  of  the  dear 
ones  dependent  upon  them. 

A  part  of  the  crew  was  set  at  work  cutting  long 
spruce  trees,  which  grew  handy  to  the  lake,  and 
as  fast  as  they  were  twitched  into  a  circle  around 
the  logs,  by  the  oxen,  others  labored  on  them, 
scoring,  hewing,  boring  and  making  thorough- 
shots  and  pins,  to  connect  them,  and  when  they 


58  THE  ADVK.vnUES  OP 

were  securely  coupled  together,  a  shout  of  "Home, 
Sweet  Home,"  rang  out  on  the  evening  air, 
followed  by  a  rush  to  store  away  the  logging  sleds 
.-iiid  tools,  in  the  hay  shed,  where  they  were  kept 
until  the  following  season. 

Throughout  the  evening  the  woodsmen  were 
busily  engaged,  in  overhauling  their  packs, 
sorting  out,  and  casting  upon  the  fire  worn  out 
clothing,  and  useless  shoes  and  boots.  The  cook 
also  was  diligently  boiling  beef,  kneading  dough 
and  twisting  and  frying  doughnuts,  that  the  men 
might  have  ample  supply  of  food  to  sustain  them 
while  on  the  two  days  tramp  required  to  reach 
their  homes. 

The  teamster,  too,  spent  an  unusual  length  of 
time  in  the  hovel,  carding  and  brushing  his  cattle, 
the  good  appearance  of  which,  on  returning  from 
the  woods,  did  much  toward  establishing  his 
reputation  as  a  trusty  and  capable  man  with  the 
goad  stick. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Team    Returning   Home   is   Jvlet  by  Children. — A. 

Dance    at    Marshfield.— The  Jealous   Lover 

Loses  His  Girl.— Calf  Kails  Into  Curb- 

lf  so  Well.— Courtship  Suddenly 

Ended. — Amusing  Story  of  a 

Horse  Trade. 

JX  the  fifties,  the  arrival  of  the  logging  teams, 
from  the  woods,  bordering  Machias  River,  at 
the  close  of  the  winter's  operations,  was  an 
exceedingly  pleasant  event  in  the  lives  of  the 
children.  A  custom,  instituted  in  the  distant 
past,  prevailed,  for  the  children,  on  learning  that 
a  team  was  enroute  for  home,  to  hasten  out  and 
meet  it,  a  mile  or  more  distant  from  the  town, 
and  ride  in  on  the  load,  shouting  and  laughing, 
and  regaling  themselves  on  twisted  molasses 
doughnuts.  Cooks  thought  themselves  ill  pre 
pared  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  little  ones  with 
less  than  a  barrel  of  those  "forrest  crullers,"  cut 
in  artistic  shapes,  which  represented  birds,  reptiles 
and  animals  of  various  kinds,  to  the  children's 
imagination.  Spruce  gum  was  also  in  high  favor, 
and  it  was  always  a  pleasure  for  those  hardy 
woodsmen  to  divide,  with  them,  the  contents  of 

59 


60  THI:  A  i  »v  I:\TI  i:i>  OF 

their  stocking,  which  was  always  the  recepticle  for 
the  gatherings  of  the  winter.  Even  the  parents 
enjoyed  the  event,  incident  to  the  home  coining, 
and  were  pleased  to  sample  the  doughnuts  and 
share  in  the  merriment . 

U'lirn  Mr.  Minton's  team  neared  home,  it  was 
met  by  an  unusually  large  number  of  child ivn,  for 
Ned  was  a  great  favorite  with  them,  notwith 
standing  the  fact  that  he  loved  to  tease  them, 
sometimes,  before  allowing  them  to  mount  and 
search  the  load. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  last  team  it  was  the 
custom,  also,  to  institute  a  series  of  dances,  the 
young  people  of  three  or  four  towns  joining  and 
holding  them  alternately.  The  first  dance  of  the 
season,  in  question,  was  held  in  Marshfield,  in 
Ti-'er  hall. 

The  building  was  but  a  story  and  a  half  in 
height,  and  the  floor  space  limited,  for  so  many 
dancers,  hence,  when  all  wore  assembled,  the 
aperture,  at  the  stair  entrance,  was  closed  with 
a  trap  door.  The  music  did  not  begin  until 
the  last  person,  expected,  had  arrived,  and  once 
the  dancers  had  assembled,  on  the  floor,  none 
could  enter  or  retire,  until  the  close,  which  took 
place  at  such  a  time  as  the  manager  chose  to 
appoint.  The  closing  dance  was  usually  a  fore- 


XKD  MIXTOX.  61 

and-after,  in  which  the  fiddler  invariably  accel 
erated  the  speed  of  the  time,  the  participants 
shuffling  and  swinging  with  all  their  might,  the 
beady  sweat  standing  conspicuously  on  their 
foreheads,  and  not  until  ready  to  collapse  did 
they  signal  for  the  music  to  cease. 

Ned  Minton  and  Hiram  Quagley  were  both 
present  and  took  part  in  this  dance.  Among  the 
young  men  and  maidens  who  came  early  was  Miss 
Angelia  Seeley,  a  bright  and  vivacious  young 
girl  of  Marshfield,  who,  it  was  said,  loved  to  flirt 
with  the  young  men  who  chanced  to  become  her 
admirers.  Miss  Seeley  was  escorted  to  the  hall  by 
Herbert  Holmes,  also  a  resident  of  this  settlement, 
who  seemed  deeply  in  love  with  her,  and  jealous  of 
any  on  whom  she  designed  to  bestow  a  smile  or 
give  undue  attention.  Hiram  Quagley,  as  ever  in 
search  of  mischief,  noticing  that  Miss  Seeley  was 
bestowing  as  much  attention  upon  Ned  as  she  was 
giving  her  admirer,  suggested  to  Xed  that  he  offer 
to  "see  her  home."  As  usual,  Ned  was  ready  for 
any  fun  that  Hiram  suggested,  and  to  settle  the 
question  in  advance  of  others,  he  tripped  across 
the  hall  to  where  the  young  lady  was  entertaining 
some  of  her  most  ardent  admirers,  in  earnest  con 
versation,  and  whispered  in  her  ear,  receiving  a 
gracious  nod  in  response. 


62  THE  Ai>vi:vni(i:s  <»r 

No  one  knew  the  import  of  his  words,  but  wht-n 
thf  dance  broke  up,  N'-<1  \v;is  in  waiting  at  the 
stairs,  when  Miss  Seeley  came  to  descend,  and 
assisted  her  to  the  floor.  The  next  moment  her 
arm  was  locked  in  his  and  they  w^nt  man -hiiiu- 
•rally  away,  to  the  discomfort  of  young  Holmes, 
who  was  white  with  rage. 

Not  to  be  outdone,  however,  he  quickly  offered 
his  arm  to  another  desirable  girl,  who  smilingly 
accepted  it.  Hiram  Qualify  saw  all  this  and  was 
greatly,  pleased  at  Ned's  success ;  but  when  young 
Holmes  so  quickly  played  his  hand,  to  escape  tin- 
jeers  of  his  companions,  he  counted  half  the 
victory  as  lost. 

Nt-d  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  young  lady. 
that  on  reaching  her  house  he  readily  assented  to 
her  request  to  come  in  and  rest  awhile  before 
starting  back,  notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the 
hour. 

Mr.  Seeley,  by  industry  and  economy  in  early 
life,  had  accumulated  considerable  property,  and 
was  generous  and  hospitable  with  those  whom  he 
fancied,  but  was  gruff  and  forbidding  to  those 
whom  he  deemed  careless  in  their  acts  or  wasteful 
in  their  habits.  Ned's  companions,  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  go  to  Marshfield  to  dances,  and 
sociables,  had  been  told  by  Mr.  Seeley  that  they 


NED  MINTOX.  63 

were  welcome  to  stand  their  horses  in  his  stable 
so  long  as  his  stock  and  other  property  were 
undisturbed  and  the  stable  doors  securety  closed 
on  leaving. 

Ned  knew  this  and  took  the  liberty  to  hitch  old 
Mike  there,  also,  a  circumstance  which  wholly 
destroyed  his  prospect  of  gaining  the  parental 
consent  to  again  visit  Miss  Seeley,  and  doubtless 
changed  the  future  course  of  his  life.  The  circum 
stances  of  the  affair  were  related  by  Ned,  a  few 
days  after,  to  Hiram  Quagley  as  follows : 

"Miss  Seeley  was  the  first  girl  whom  I  ever  had 
the  honor  to  escort  home.  I  had  offered  my 
services  in  fun,  but  when  I  came  into  her  presence, 
all  by  myself,  she  seemed  so  cute  and  enticing  that 
I  fancied  I  loved  her  with  a  deep,  strong  undying 
love;  the  kind  which,  they  say,  diverts  the  thoughts, 
and  makes  men  blind  to  the  passing  of  time  and 
events  and  all  things  of  a  mundane  nature,  save  the 
one  prepossessing  presence.  Thus  situated  the  hour 
to  depart  came  like  the  speed  of  a  cyclone.  I  was 
so  sure  that  I  loved  her,  that  I  even  dared  to 
snatch  a  kiss  at  the  threshold,  while  the  twinkling 
stars  seemed  to  smile  down  upon  us  approvingly. 

"Don't  laugh  at  me,"  he  said,  as  he  caught  Kite 
smiling,  "for  I  had  it  bad,  and  was  in  dead 
earnest." 


r,  I  Tin:  AI>VI:NTI  in:s  OF 

"Then  I  ran  to  the  barn  to  loose  my  steed  ;m»l 
hie  me  home,  for  day  was  breaking  in  the  east. 
In  the  darkness,  however,  I  could  not  seem  to  tin*  1 
him,  and  my  mind  bring  pre-occupied  with 
halcyon  thoughts,  when  my  hand  came  in  contact 
with  a  rope,  to  which  was  attached  a  valuable 
calf,  rnviu'd  by  my  prospective  father-in-law,  I 
committed  the  fatal  error  of  casting  it  loose. 

"But  my  mind  came  down  with  a  hump  t<>  tlif 
common  affairs  of  life,  when  1  heard  the  quick  pat 
tering  of  cloven  feet  upon  the  hard  floor ;  I  then 
tried  to  regain  control,  of  the  timid  beast,  but 
before  I  could  do  so,  he  bounded  through  the  opt-n 
door  and  headlong  into  a  curbless  well,  in  the 
yard,  from  which  no  amount  of  help  could  rescue 
him  from  an  untimely  death. 

"You  never  can  guess  how  badly  I  felt,  for  I  saw 
the  result  of  that  act  as  plainly  as  I  see  it  now, 
since  receiving  the  little  note,  from  Miss  Seeley, 
dictated  by  her  angry  father.  I  have  since 
learned  that  Herbert  Holmes,  who  has  long  been 
a  favorite  in  the  Seeley  household,  is  now  rein- 
stat»-d  in  the  affections  of  her  whom  I  thought  I 
loved,  while  I  am  a  forlorn  outcast  before  reaching 
the  age  of  seventeen. 

••Well."  said  Hiram,  •'!  suppose  I  was  the  means 
of  getting  you  into  that  scrape,  for  which  I  am 


NED  MINTOX.  65 

deeply  sorry;  but  my  sorrow  will  be  lessened,  if 
you  assure  me  that  you  are  feeling  no  worse  than 
you  look." 

"Oh  no !"  said  Ned,  "I  assure  you  I  am  not  feel 
ing  any  worse  than  I  appear,  for  I  think  that  I 
can  now  see  that  Miss  Seeley  was  insincere;  yet 
the  affair,  while  it  lasted,  was  duced  pleasant. 
But  I  guess  that  is  all  right.  I  shall  try  to  forget 
her,  and  some  day  I  may  find  some  one  else  who 
will  appear  as  sweet  to  me  as  she  did  on  that 
eventful  night." 

"But,  to  change  the  subject,  I  am  thinking  of 
getting  Ike  Pine  to  trade  off  old  Mike  for  a  faster 
horse.  Father  says  that  I  may,  if  I  will  pay  Ike, 
and  the  necessary  boot,  out  of  my  bear  money. 
You  know  I  want  to  go  to  the  Jonesboro  Fair  this 
Fall,  and  I  want  a  horse  that  can  get  up  and  get, 
as  the  jockeys  say.  You  know  Ike  is  a  great 
trader,  and  knows  all  about  horses.  Father  says 
these  horse  jockeys  are  a  necessary  factor  in  the 
country,  to  keep  in  trim  a  grade  of  horses  which 
otherwise  would  become  practically  worthless,  to 
their  owners,  and,  as  a  result,  would  be  neglected 
and  nearly  starved,  thereby  increasing  their 
sufferings,  in  their  old  age.  "Ike  says  he  can  fix 
Old  Mike  up  and  make  him  look  as  young  as  a 
colt."  "I  heard  a  jockey,  who  knows  Ike,  say  the 


<)«)  THK   ADVKNTI  HKS   OF 

other  day,  tliat  when  he  comes  into  possession  of 
;i  horse,  worth  from  ten  to  twenty  dollars,  that 
no  surgeon  ever  examined  an  applicant  for  pen 
sion,  to  ascertain  his  every  ailment,  with  ejvater 
care  than  he  does.  If  there  are  symptoms  of 
heaves,  powders  are  administered,  and  his  food  is 
prepared  on  scientific  principles  to  obviate  the 
ditliculty.  If  he  has  swollen  or  stiff  joints,  they 
are  bathed  in  liniment,  and  subjected  to  a  course 
of  rubbing,  1  hat  will  reduce  the  swelling  and  make 
them  limber. 

If  he  is  unlmle  to  masticate  his  food,  by  reason 
of  the  length  of  his  teeth,  they  are  filed  until  his 
grinders  fit  together  as  closely  as  those  of  a 
young  colt.  He  is  groomed  and  brushed,  with 
the  greatest  care,  and,  in  short,  the  horse  which, 
a  few  weeks  before,  was  hideous  to  behold,  is 
transformed,  and  its  original  value,  apparently, 
very  much  increased.  It  is  then  in  condition  to 
successfully  exchange  for  an  undoctored  animal, 
of  much  greater  real  value,  and  a  good  sum  to- 
boot." 

Notwithstanding  the  knowledge  and  craft  which 
he  possesses,  Ike  sometimes  gets  the  worst  of  the 
bargain,  or  can  make  no  bargain  at  all,  as 
happened  recently,  \\hen  he  went  to  Jonesboro,  to 
trade  with  old  Simon  Smidt.  Simon  was  as  good 


NED  MINTOX.  67 

a  jockey  as  Ike,  and  had  had  many  more  years 
experience,  in  the  business,  consequently  he  knew 
every  trading  horse  in  the  land.  But  Ike,  who  is 
not  over  scrupulous,  in  the  business,  counted  on 
Simon's  great  thirst  for  the  ' 'ardent,"  whereby 
he  hoped  to  be  able,  to  obviate  much  of  his 
shrewdness,  and  blind  him  to  the  defects  and 
great  age  of  the  horse  which  he  desired  to  trade. 
Ike  accordingly  got  a  quart  of  alcohol,  at  Coil's. 
in  Machias,  which,  by  watering,  he  increased  to 
half  a  gallon,  of  "split,"  (as  it  was  called  by  the 
topers,)  then,  one  bright  morning,  he  invited 
Dennis  Rolling,  the  village  wag,  to  ride  over  with 
him  to  give  the  visit  the  appearance  of  chance. 

Ike  and  Den.  felt  so  happy,  by  the  time  they 
arrived,  that  "Old  Simon,"  as  he  was  called,  was 
able  to  see  pretty  clearly  that  he  was  to  be 
worked  for  a  trade.  He  said  nothing  but  sort  of 
cleared  his  deck  for  action,  as  it  were,  and  when 
Ike  began  to  talk  horse,  Simon  nodded  approv 
ingly,  in  view  of  being  made  happy  also.  After- 
talking  awhile,  to  allay  suspicion,  the  bottle  was 
"fished"  from  under  the  seat  and  was  passed 
around.  When  it  came  to  Simon,  he  accepted 
with  apparent  pleasure,  and,  after  drawing  the 
cork,  and  sniffing  at  the  contents,  to  determine 
the  age  and  denomination,  he  took  a  hearty 


<;^  THI:  AI>VI:NTIKI:S  OF 

draught.  The  fluid  began  to  work  on  his  brain, 
then  he  began  to  talk,  also,  and  with  an  object 
i]>]Mivnt  as  that  possessed  by  the  jockeys. 
From  now  on,  the  bottle  was  repeatedly  offered 
and  as  often  accepted;  "Old  Simon"  apparently 
coming  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  point  of  trade, 
and,  as  the  day  waned,  and  twilight  began  to 
gatluT,  the  alcohol  bring  low,  the  importunities 
of  Ike  and  Den.  became  more  impressive.  When 
the  bottle  was  presented  for  the  last  time,  there 
being  but  one  drink  left  in  it,  "Old  Simon  grasped 
it  eagerly  and,  with  glazed  eyes,  gazed  at  the  old 
horse,  for  a  few  moments,  then  raised  it  slowly  to 
his  lips  and  drained  it  to  the  dregs.  The  drink 
was  large  and  made  him  choke  and  swallow,  but 
as  soon  as  he  could  regain  his  breath,  sufficiently 
to  speak  x  he  exclaimed :  "Look-a-here  Pine  you 
needn't  spend  your  time  to  tell  me  any  more  good 
pints  in  that  hoss  for  I  knowed  him  twenty-five 
years  ago,  when  Crandon,  who  used  to  live  on  the 
hill,  owned  him,  and  I  know  he  was  counted  a 
dinged  good  old  hoss  then,  and  if  I  had  a  leetle 
poorer  hoss  and  yourn  was  a  pound  or  two 
heavier,  and  if  you  and  Holling,  who  seems  to  be 
sort  of  interested  in  the  case,  had  another  bottle 
of  Split,  so'st  I'd  git  my  jints  kind  of  limbered  up, 
and  my  trading  bump  agitated,  dinged  if  I  don't 


NED  MIXTON.  69 

believe  I'd  be  tempted  to  trade  with  you."  "As 
the  conditions  aint  hardly  right  now,  I'll  just  say 
to  you,  there's  no  harm  done  by  talkin',  neither 
is  there  anything  lost,  but  my  time  and  your 
spirits,  so  we'll  part  good  friends." 

After  delivering  his  speech,  Old  Simon,  who  had 
been  supporting  himself  by  a  grip  on  the  tail  of 
Ike's  horse,  let  go  to  give  him  a  slap  with  his 
hand,  as  a  token  of  recognition,  then  he  lost  his 
balance  and  fell  prostrate  on  a  pile  of  straw  on 
the  barn  floor  from  which  he  was  unable  to  arise; 
then,  greatly  chagrined,  the  jockeys  took  their 
departure  for  home.  "That's  a  pretty  good 
yarn,"  says  Hite,  "but  do  you  want  Ike  to  use 
that  kind  of  means  to  trade  for  you?  O,  no,  "says 
Ned,  "I  simply  employ  him  to  get  for  me  just  the 
kind  of  horse  I  want,  and  I  am  to  pay  him  a  fair 
price  for  his  trouble,  and  pay  boot  to  make  the 
trade  even."  "It  is  not  a  matter  of  money,  with 
me,  but  I  want  to  know,  for  sure,  that  I  will  have  a 
better  horse,  and  one  that  can  'wax'  that  'Flying 
Eagle,'  owned  by  that  Irishman,  Humphry  Des- 
mont."  Desmont  says — 'me  mare  can  bate 
anything  with  four  fate  that  stips  the  woruld 
between  Maine  and  Quabic;'  and  it  would  give  me 
more  pleasure  to  set  him  back  than  to  be  rein 
stated,  or  rather  instated,  in  the  affections  of  that 


70  Till-:    Al» VK NITRES   <T 

Marshfield  young  lady."    "Well," says  Hiram,  "I 

should  like  to  see  you  win"— "I  mean  in  the  horse- 
race,  and,  as  to  the  young  lady,  I  trust  3-011  will 
find  a  better  one,  some  day, if  not  a  more  bewitch 
ing  one." 

"To  speak  plainly,  I  don't  think  much  of  a  girl 
who  can  change  fellows  to  conform  to  circumst  ,in- 
ces,  with  the  same  ease  that  she  can  change  lints 
to  conform  to  the  seasons." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IVce  Pine,  the  Jookey. — The  Raw  Boned  Horse  and 

the  Dutchman. — -A.  Surprising  Race. — 

Hauling  a  Mast. — Congratulations. 

JKE  Pine,  the  jockey,  who  was  authorized 
to  trade  horses  for  Ned  Minton,  had  been 
scouring  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  in  search 
of  an  animal  that  could  show  a  little  better  than 
a  two  forty  clip,  which  was  considered  fast,  in 
those  days.  Thus  far  he  had  been  unsuccessful, 
and  was  about  to  give  up  and  return  home  when 
he  heard  the  sound  of  wheels  behind  him,  as  he 
was  driving  along.  The  next  instant  a  team 
passed  him  with  a  speed  that  left  no  time  to 
catch  more  than  a  glimpse  of  the  horse  and  driver 
before  they  disappeared  from  sight  over  a  hill. 
He  put  old  Mike  to  his  best  speed  and  barely 
reached  the  top  in  time  to  see  the  team  turning 
into  the  yard,  of  a  farm  house,  way  along  the 
valley.  He  drove  on  as  fast  as  possible,  and  when 
he  reached  the  place  he  could  scarcely  believe  that 
the  shadow  of  a  horse  that  he  saw  before  him  \\  ;is 
the  same  beast  that  had  glided  by  him  a  few 
moments  before;  yet  it  was  the  same.  There  was 
no  more  flesh  on  the  body  of  the  animal  before 

71 


1'2  TIIK   ADVKXTI  HKS   OF 

liini  than  barely  enough  to  form  a  thin  coat  in- 
between  tli*'  tightly  drawn  hide  and  the  sharp 
and  almost  protruding  bones.  His  owner,  a 
diminutive,  dried  up  old  Dutchman,  looked  deci 
dedly  companionable  beside  his  beast.  When  Ike 
drove  into  the  yard  the  little  old  man,  whose 
name,  he  lefirned,  was  Jacques  Leaderbaugh, 
came  over  and  patted  Ike's  horse  on  the  back, 
asking  if  he  could  pull. 

"Yes,  "said  Ike,  "he  can  pull  a  mountain, — a 
piece  at  a  time.  I  suppose  your  horse  can't  pull ; 
but  can  he  trot?" 

"Trot!  by  gar,  no!"  answered  the  Dutchman, 
"him  can't  trot  shust  a  little  bit;  but  him  can 
rack,  Oh  my !  You  should  shust  see  him !  He  vill 
go  like  ze  very  devil!  Now  I  vants  a  horse  vat 
can  pull  ze  plow  and  ze  cart,  and  if  you  vants  von 
vat  can  go,  how  vill  you  trade?" 

"I  should  want  twenty  dollars  to  boot,  to  spend 
in  oats,  to  be  used  as  a  flesh  builder"  said  Ike. 

"Twenty  tollars,"  said  the  Dutchman,  "by  -a  i- ' 
I  never  hat  so  motch  money  as  dat,  and  if  you 
shust  give  dat  horse  von  quart  of  oats  ven  you 
feed  him,  by  gar!  you  couldn't  hold  him  for  von 
little  vile;  but  if  you  vants  to  swap  shust  even, 
for  n  odd  ings,  you  can  take  him,  by  gar;  and  he 
yoiin--.  too.  He  shust  run  hisself  down  on 


NI-: i.)  MIXTOX.  73 

goot  straw ;  but  if  you  gif  him  oats,  Oh  my !  I 
dont  vant  to  be  dare." 

Ike  was  reluctant  to  return  home  without 
making  an  exchange,  and  as  this  appeared  to  be 
his  final  chance,  he  closed  the  trade,  the  Dutch 
man  agreeing  to  give,  as  boot,  a  lean,  lantern 
jawed  dog,  then  snoozing  on  the  banking. 

The  horses  were  exchanged,  and  the  dog,  which 
Leaderbaugh  said,  "could  catch  more  deer  as 
neffer  vas,"  was  tied  behind  the  wagon;  then  Ike 
moved  his  new  possessions  toward  home.  The 
appearance  of  his  animal  was  the  most  unique 
ever  seen,  when  compared  with  his  ability  to  light 
over  the  ground,  of  which  Ike  learned,  before  he 
had  driven  a  mile  on  his  journey. 

When  Ike  arrived  home  and  exhibited  the  result 
of  his  deal,  to  Ned,  he  thought  that  Ike  had  been 
badly  jewed,  and  when  assured  that  Borneo,  the 
name  of  his  horse,  could  outfoot  the  Flying  Eagle, 
he  thought  it  but  a  joke;  but  when  he  had 
ridden  a  short  distance  with  Ike,  he  became  fully 
convinced  of  the  fact. 

When  it  was  known  that  Xed  Mint  on 's  pacer, 
Borneo,  which  had  become  a  noted  animal  (in 
looks)  from  his  first  arrival  in  town,  was  to  be 
pitted  against  the  renowned  Flying  Eagle  for  a 
race  on  the  ice,  in  the  early  Fall,  certain  members 


1 4  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

of  the  sporting  fraternity  laughed  and  jeered  at 
Ned,  for  his  folly,  but. during  these  indignities.  Ned 
kept  a  smiling  exterior,  but  warn  lavish  with  his 
oats,  which,  day  by  day.  added  a  ten  second  clip 
to  the  propelling  power  of  his  saterized  aniuml. 

Concentrated  efforts  always  culminate  in  vic 
tory,  and  the  result  of  the  race  between  the  over 
confident  stepper,  Flying  Eagle,  and  the  •\viiik 
yank  speed  producer.  Borneo/'  was  no  exception 
to  the  rule.  On  a  certain  day  when  the  ice  was 
dear  and  all  other  conditions  favorable,  a 
suitable  purse  having  been  put  up.  to  make  the 
race  interesting,  the  entire  sporting  fraternity^ 
was  notified  to  appear  and  witness  the  race. 
Three  judges  were  chosen,  and  also  a  starter. 
When  a  mile  had  been  measured  off.  the  steeds 
were  given  the  word  "GO."  From  start  to  finish 
no  one  had  a  doubt  of  the  result  of  the  race, 
whatever  may  have  been  his  previous  opinion. 

That  animal  of  Ned's  fairly  annihilated  space. 
Chunck?  of  ice  flew  from  his  iron  hoofs  like  grape 
from  a  Parrot  gun,  or  a  hundred  pound  Colum 
bian!.  "By  jinks,  it  was  a  mixtry."  He  fetched 
up  hU  right  wing,  he  fetched  up  his  left  wing,  he 
fetched  up  his  center  and  reserves.  He  bop-light- 
ladies  and  tiptoed-fine  from  the  peak  of  his  nose 
to  the  end  of  his  tail.  The  ice  trembled,  and  the 


XED  JUSTUS.  10 

witnesses  danced  for  JOT.  Heaven  and  earth! 
Sea  and  land!  The  air  whistled  from  his  side* 
like  steel  pointed  shot  from  the  walls  of  an  iron 
clad.  When  the  poll  was  reached,  Borneo  was 
ahead  a  distance  of  more  than  ten  lengths,  and 
received  the  whoops  of  the  admiring-  crowd,  while 
his  owner  quietly  pocketed  the  stakes.  Time  2.28. 
Shortly  after  this  race  there  came  on  a  thaw, 
and  masts  being  needed  for  a  vessel,  then  on  the 
stocks  in  Jonesboro,  a  ten  ox  team  was  sent  over 
to  WTritneyville.  to  take  a  large  pine  stick,  about 
thirty  six  inches  at  the  butt  and  eighty  five  feet  in 
length,  from  a  raft  at  the  landing.,  and  haul  it 
over  on  a  heavy  four  wheel  cart.  The  stick  was 
loaded,  and  hauled  several  rods;  but  in  trying  to 
cross  a  soft  field,  the  wheels  settled  in  the  mud, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  assistance  of  the  crowd 
of  men  who  had  gathered,  using  large  cedar  rails, 
as  pries,  to  lift  the  cart,  the  teamster  was  unable 
to  get  a  uniform  pull  of  the  cattle  strong  enough 
to  start  the  load.  He  had  tried  them  again  and 
again  without  success,  and  it  was  nearing  the 
noon  hour,  when  Xed  Minton  happened  along, 
and  seeing  the  men  and  the  team  midway  between 
the  road  and  the  landing,  he  went  down.  The 
boss  ship-carpenter,  who  had  accompanied  the 
team,  to  select  the  stick,  had  become  discouraged. 


7<">  THE  ADVEXTTHES  OF 

and  was  about  to  order  the  team  removed,  when 
some  man  in  the  crowd  pointed  to  Ned  and 
said, — "That  lad  there  will  put  that  stick  on  the 
road  for  you  if  you  will  give  him  a  V."  The 
carpenter  looked  toward  Ned  with  a  doubtful 
expression,  seeing  which,  the  man  who  had  spoken 
before  said, — "I  mean  it!  If  any  man  can  do  it, 
he  can."  It  is  well  known  that  certain  men  hold 
a  mysterious  power  over  dumb  animals,  and  Ned 
had  manifested  this  power,  on  occasions,  although 
he  was  not  a  professional  teamster. 

The  carpenter,  after  being  thus  reassured, 
walked  toward  Ned  and  offered  him  a  five  dollar 
bill,  which  he  declined  to  take,  saying,— "If  your 
teamster,  who  is  acquainted  with  the  cattle,  can't 
make  them  haul  that  stick,  it  will  be  entirely 
useless  for  me  to  try,  especially  after  they  have 
been  hauling  at  it  for  half  a  day.  However,  if  you 
want  me  to,  I  will  give  them  a  pull ;  but,  to  begin 
with,  if  the  cattle  pull  well,  I  don't  need  but  a  six 
ox  team.  Unhook  those  four  leaders  from  the 
string!  There  now,  take  those  cedar  pries  from 
under  the  wheels." 

When  the  leaders  had  been  removed,  and  the 
pries  withdrawn,  Ned  picked  up  the  goad,  and 
spoke  gently  to  each  of  the  three  nigh  cattle ;  then 
he  tapped  them  lightly  with  the  goad,  and 


NED  MINTON.  77 

straightened  the  line,  bringing  the  four  leaders  to 
a  taut  chain.  Then  he  walked  to  the  off  side  and 
touched  each  ox  gently  with  his  open  hand, 
speaking  to  each  in  a  low  tone.  Again  he  went 
quickly  to  the  near  side  and,  by  the  time  he  had 
reached  the  pole  cattle,  his  team  was  treading 
nervously,  every  ox  apparently  ready  to  pull. 
Ned  then  swung  his  goad  and  g&ve  them  the  word 
to  go. 

There  was  not  the  least  hesitancy,  every  ox 
came  to  the  bow,  the  hard  flesh  appearing  in  a 
roll,  on  either  side,  to  almost  hide  it  from  view. 
Then  the  two  sets  of  wheels,  which  were  nearly 
fifty  feet  apart,  began  to  rise  slowly  from  the  deep 
rut  and  when  the  load  had  gained  a  headway  of 
two  feet  Ned,  for  the  first  time,  raised  his  voice  to 
a  mighty  volume,  as  he  shouted  the  one  word 
"Wohush;"to  stop  his  team.  He  did  not  give 
them  more  than  time  to  make  three  inhalations  of 
air,  however,  before  he  twirled  his  goad  again, 
giving  that  peculiar  movement  which  every  ox  in 
his  team  knew,  meant,  pull  again.  Those  short, 
but  lusty  pulls,  were  repeated,  until  the  load  was 
squarely  on  the  hard  road,  and  the  panting  team 
pointed  for  home;  then  a  vociferous  shout  arose, 
from  the  spectators,  and  those  concerned  with  the 
movement  of  the  mast,  most  of  whom  closed 


78  THE  ADVKNTfKES  <>F 

around  Ned, shaking  his  hand  and  congratnlat  inn 
him  in  various  ways.  The  carpenter  again  urged 
1  to  take  the  five  dollar  bill,  telling  him  tli.it 
his  services  were  cheap  at  that;  but  he  still 
declined,  to  accept,  for  he  was  ever  n»ady  to  s«-r\ ••• 
those  who  needed  assistance. 

The  four  leaders  were  brought  from  the  field  and 
connected  with  the  team,  and  as  the  load  was  put 
in  motion,  every  hat  in  the  crowd  was  lifted  in  a 
parting  salute  to  the  hero  of  the  occasion. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A.  Race  Between,  the  Flying  Eagle  and  Ned.  Nlinton 
on  Slcates.—  Visits  the  F"air.—  Canine  Sagacity. 


race  between  Ned  Min  ton's  horse,  Borneo 
and  the  Flying  Eagle,  owned  by  Humphry 
Desmont,  was  but  the  beginning  of  a  series  of 
similar  races  on  the  ice,  that  winter.  There  were 
races  between  trotters,  between  trotters  and  rack- 
ers,  and  between  skaters  and  running  and  trot 
ting  horses.  The  most  -notable  was  a  mile  race 
between  the  Flying  Eagle,  and  Ned  Mint  on  on 
skates. 

The  stipulations  were  that  Ned  should  circle  the 
horse  three  times  during  each  mile  heat,  for  three 
consecutive  heats.  The  Eagle  was  to  be  driven 
under  the  saddle  by  Desmont,  dressed  in  a  beaver 
hat,  ruffled  shirt  and  linen  duster. 
The  day  of  the  race  proved  to  be  a  cold  one,  with 
a  stiff  breeze  blowing  from  the  north-west,  and 
when  Desmont,  thus  arrayed,  made  his  appear 
ance  upon  the  street,  astride  his  horse,  it  was  the 
signal  for  a  general  turnout,  not  only  of  the 
jockeys,  but  of  the  villagers  generally. 

The  announcement  of  this  unique  race  had  been 

79 


""I  Tin:  AI>\ i;vn  i;i:s  OF 

made  several  days  In-fore,  consequently  the  news 
of  the  affair  had  reached  the  people  in  the  adjoin 
ing  towns,  a  number  of  whom  came  over  to  enjoy 
the  fun,  among  them.  Herbert  Holmes  and  Miss 
Angelia  Seeley.  When  Ned  saw  them  drive  upon 
the  ice,  he  skated  toward  them  and  raised  his  cap. 
Miss  Seeley,  who  had  recognized  him,  from  a 
distance,  and  had  been  intently  watching  his 
graceful  movements,  as  he  made  quick  evolutions 
upon  his  bright  skates,  now  forward  and  now 
backward,  as  he  cut  spread  eagle  after  spread 
eagle,  in  the  ice,  acknowledged  his  salute  with  a 
smile  and  bow,  and  a  graceful  wave  of  her  hand  ; 
but  young  Holmes  sat  stiffly  errect,  his  attention 
seemingly  afar  off.  It  was  evident  from  Ned's 
action  that  he  had  not  entirely  forgotten  tin- 
pleasant  experiences  of  the  few  hours  passed  in 
her  society,  that  spring,  and  that  he  did  not  seek 
a  (loser  interview  was,  evidently,  the  fear  of  offend 
ing  her  accepted  lover. 

When  ready  for  the  race,  Desmont  and  Ned 
scored  down  for  a  distance  of  ten  rods,  side  by 
side,  until  the  line  was  reached,  then  Ned  bounded 
ahead  and  crossed  in  front  of  Desmont,  making  a 
larger  circle  than  he  should.  This  gave  Desmont 
so  great  a,  start,  that,  before  Ned  came  to  the 
front  to  make  the  second  turn,  the  half  mile  mark 


XKD  MINTON.  81 

was  passed.  By  this  time,  Desmont,  whose  coat 
was  trailing  in  the  wind,  as  he  went  streaking 
through  the  air,  was  thoroughly  excited,  and  was 
bouncing  up  and  down  in  the  saddle,  3Telling  and 
urging  on  his  horse  with  whip  and  spur. 

The  second  turn  was  made  by  Ned  on  a  shorter 
circle,  cutting  around  sharply  close  behind  the 
mare,  coining  again  to  the  front,  and  making  the 
third  turn  just  in  season  to  save  the  race. 

There  was  loud  cheering  by  the  crowd,  but  no 
part  of  the  demonstration  was  so  satisfactory,  to 
Ned,  as  the  knowledge  that  Miss  Seeley  was 
tossing  her  handkerchief,  and  otherwise  making 
manifest  that  her  sympathies  were  with  him, 
utterly  regardless  of  the  presence  of  her  escort. 

Desmont  was  so  thoroughly  vexed,  by  the 
apparent  sympathy  for  Ned,  that  he  became 
determined  to  win,  the  next  heat,  if  possible.  He 
was  excited,  and  drove  back  to  the  line  at  a  speed 
which  gave  his  horse  no  opportunity  to  regain 
her  wind.  His  friends  sought  to  advise  him,  but 
he  heeded  them  not,  and  whirled  his  horse,  and 
immediate!}7  scored  for  the  pole. 

Ned  was  abreast,  the  mare,  when  the  line  was 
crossed,  and  with  a  few  rapid  strokes  of  his  skates 
gained  space  to  pass  in  front  and  make  his  first 
circle.  The  mare,  by  this  time,  was  thoroughly 


S2  TMK   ADVUXTrUKS   OF 

.-dive,  and  entered  into  the  excitement  of  tin-  ra< •«• 
with  a  clip  that  made  Ned  realize  tluit  it  would 
tax  his  best  efforts,  this  time,  to  win  out.  The 
experience  of  the  first  heat,  however,  had  prepared 
him  to  make  liis  circles  with  such  small  loss,  in 
headway,  that  his  three  turns  were  not  only  made, 
but  IK-  \\as  able  to  reach  the  line  several  rods  in 
advance  of  Pesmont,  who  came  to  the  pole  minus 
his  beaver,  and  his  hair  flying  loosely,  in  the  wind, 
in  unison  with  the  flapping  of  the  tail  of  his  linen 
duster. 

He  was  so  badly  beaten,  this  time,  and  was  so 
thoroughly  chilled,  with  the  cold,  that  In- hurried 
home,  without  stopping  to  explain  why  he  did  not 
fulfil  the  terms  of  the  race  by  trotting  the  third 
heat. 

In  all  these  sports,  Ned  cared  more  for  the 
amusement  than  for  the  winnings.  At  the  fairs 
his  greatest  enjoyment  was  found  while  engaged 
in  hauling  oxen  in  opposition  to  those  brought  in, 
by  the  farmers,  from  the  neighboring  country. 
These  men,  like  others  remote  from  comi>etition, 
believed  implicitly  that  their  own  excelled  all 
others;  therefore,  when  they  came  to  the  fairs, 
they  exj>ected  to  carry  back  all  the  premiums,  for 
which  they  competed;  hence  it  became  amusement 
for  Ned  to  sometimes  give  them  a  few  practical 


NED  MINTON.  88 

lessons,  exemplifying  his  power  over  oxen.  When 
hauling  a  single  yoke  of  light  weight  cattle, 
attached  to  a  drag,  loaded  with  stones,  he  was 
sometimes  beaten ;  but  with  a  large  team  he 
seldom  found  his  match.  It  is  generally -admitted 
that  any  ordinary  teamster  can  make  one  pair  of 
oxen  exert  their  whole  strength;  but  getting  a 
pull  from  several  yoke  in  a  string  is  quite  another 
matter.  It  then  requires  a  man  with  an  innate 
power  over  the  brute  creation,  as  was  ascribed  to 
Ned  by  those  who  knew  him  best. 

The  seasons  were  rolling  around,  bringing  to 
Ned,  age  and  experience.  He  had  earned  consider 
able  money,  in  various  ways,  and  had  owned 
several  horses.  His  last  purchase  was  a  fine 
horse  which  could  travel  pretty  well,  but  was  not 
fast  enough  for  the  course.  He  was  a  handsome 
creature,  however,  and  Ned's  lady  friends  were 
ever  ready  to  accept  an  invitation  to  take  a  drive 
with  him.  Thus  far  he  had  shown  no  special 
preference  for  any  of  them,  and  frequently  said, 
when  in  a  joking  mood,  that  he  loved  them  all. 
Perhaps  a  little  piece  of  his  heart  was  still  beyond 
the  Marshfield  hill,  yet,  none  of  his  friends  could 
ever  wring  the  admission  from  him,  although  the 
girls  sometimes  bantered  him  about  it. 

You  will  remember  that  Ned  came  into  posses- 


^  t  Tin:  Anvi;\Tri;i:s  OF 

sion  of  a  do*?,  AB  boot  between  old  Mike  and 
Borneo,  some  time  ago.  This  dog  was  named  Skip, 
and  \vas  Ned's  constant  friend  and  companion, 
until  he  met  an  untimely  death  by  poisoning. 
Ned  had  formed  a  great  liking  for  him,  ami 
sincerely  mourned  his  loss.  In  speaking  of  him  to 
one  of  his  friends  he  said, — "Skip  had  a  <j;reat 
many  virtues,  not  unmixed  with  vices,  I  fear,  but 
he  seemed  to  possess  almost  a  human  knowledge, 
and  more  than  human  lov  EM  I  have  found  it. 
He  contracted  for  me,  among  the  neighbors,  a 
great  many  bills  but  I  always  settled  them  for 
him.  for  I  felt  it  was  my  duty  to  stand  by  him. 

"Sometimes  I  took  him  with  me  to  circle  deer, 
and  drive  them  into  the  lake,  before  the  falling  of 
the  leaves  in  the  autumn ;  but  for  the  most  part . 
when  I  was  away,  he  was  ranging  the  streets  at 
will.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  dog  in  town  had  so 
many  friends,  or  enemies,  as  the  case  might  be,  as 
Skip  had. 

"Poor  Skip  had  a  living  to  make,  and  this  was 
no  small  affair  to  the  dog,  who  possessed  a  vora 
cious  appetite,  or  to  the  neighbors,  from  whom  he 
pilfered.  It  is  allowed  that  all  dogs  have 
instincts,  but  Skip's  were  entirely  peculiar  to  him 
self.  Did  a  thrifty  house- wife,  residing  on  any  <>t 
the  numerous  streets  in  town,  bake  a  batch  of 


NED  MIXTON.  85 

pies,  and  place  them  out  to  cool,  Skip  was  sure  to 
be  there  just  at  the  time  they  attained  a  tempera 
ture  to  swallow  at  a  gulp,  though  he  had  not 
previously  been  seen  in  the  vicinity  for  months. 
Did  the  children  play  house-keeping  and  have  a 
lay  out  of  doughnuts,  cake  and  little  delicacies,  in 
a  neighbor's  hayrick,  Skip  would  trot  along, 
timing  his  movements  exactly  with  theirs,  bound 
through  the  slats,  'swipe'  the  whole  outfit,  and 
trot  away,  sniffing  the  air  for  new  discoveries. 
The  quality  of  the  food  mattered  not  to  Skip. 
Though  he  had  just  swallowed  a  choice  cut  of  beef 
snatched  from  a  hook,  in  a  neighbor's  shed,  and 
an  opportunity  offered,  the  next  moment,  to  steal 
the  accumulations  of  several  weeks'  savings,  of 
scraps,  known  as  soap  grease,  with  his  long  lank 
jaws,  he  would  scoop  up  the  contents  of  the 
receptacle,  and  swallow  it  with  apparent  good 
relish.  Skip  never  stood  around  and  looked 
wistfully  on,  like  other  dogs,  when  fish  or  meat 
carts  came  to  town,  but,  within  an  hour  after 
their  departure,  he  had  located  the  peg  upon 
which  each  purchase  hung,  and  he  knew  the  habits 
of  each  famity  so  well  that  he  was  able  to  time  his 
movements  to  make  his  raid  a  success.  Skip  had 
been  in  his  usual  good  health,  up  to  today,  ;ind 
bid  fair  to  live  many  years,  barring  a  violent 


N»l  THE  ADVENTntKS   n| 

death,  but  greed,  undoubtedly.  \va>  the  indirect 
cause  which  brought  about  the  termination  of  his 
busy  life,  It  is  presumed  he  took  a  bait,  laid  for 
foxes,  and  the  poison  therein  proved  to  be  more 
than,  even,  his  robust  nature  could  overcome.  His 
acts  were  only  in  harmony  with  the  laws  of  self- 
preservation,  but  many  will  rejoice  at  his  suffering, 
with  good  reason,  and  few  will  mourn  his  death: 
yet  I  miss  his  hearty  greeting,  and  shall  give  his 
remains  a  Christian  burial,  and  drop  more  than 
one  tear  on  his  lonely  grave." 


CHAPTER  X. 

A.  River-Driving  Cruise.  —  Interesting  Descriptive 

Scenes.  —  The  Log  Race.  —  Shaving 

the  "Tenderfoot." 


reason  of  Ned's  youth  he  was  not  allowed  to 
participate  in  driving  his  father's  logs  from 
the  Cranberry  Lakes  ;  but,  a  year  or  two  later,  he 
engaged  with  the  Main  River  boss  to  assist  in 
bringing  a  boom  from  Fifth  Lake,  through  all  the 
intervening  lakes  on  Main  River.  This  was  a  long 
cruise,  with  many  hardships  which  gave  the  lad 
experiences  which  served  in  various  ways  to  pre 
pare  him  for  greater  events  in  after  life. 

This  boom,  which  contained  several  million  feet, 
of  pine  and  spruce  logs,  was  easily  moved  to  the 
narrows  above  the  dam  in  Fifth  Lake  by  the  force 
of  a  gentle  breeze  blowing  toward  the  outlet. 

While  sluicing  the  logs  through  the  dam  and 
driving  them  through  the  stream,  into  the  head  of 
Fourth  Lake,  where  they  were  caught  in  a  boom 
swung  for  the  purpose,  the  crew  of  forty  men 
made  their  headquarters  in  a  bark  camp,  built 
with  a  shed  roof  sloping  toward  the  rear.  The 
front  was  open  and  faced  a  glowing  fire  built 

87 


88  Tin-:  Ai)VK.\Ti'i:i>  OF 

some  six  or  eight  feet  distant.  This  fire,  which 
the  cook  niul  his  assistant  kept  const .-mtly 
burning.  \vas  a  pleasant  sight  to  the  men  return 
ing  to  camp,  wlien  the  shades  of  night  had  closed 
down  with  a  density  to  preclude  further  work. 

Usually  a  half  dozen  men  were  enough  to  do  the 
slue-ing:  t he  balance  of  the  crew  being  kept  busily 
employed  along  the  stream,  hanging  sheer- waters, 
poling  logs  from  among  the  alders,  in  the  flowage. 
rolling  them  over  sand  bars  and  rocks,  where 
jams  wore  beginning  to  form,  and  otherwise  exert  - 
ing  force  to  keep  them  moving.  River-drivers,  as 
a  class,  arc  surefooted.  The  heels  and  soles  of 
their  shoes  are  kept  well  filled  with  steel  calks, 
protruding  half  an  inch,  or  more,  which  is  a  great 
assistance  to  them.  A  driver  of  experience,  thus 
sho  1.  is  usually  able  to  maintain  his  balance,  on  a 
single  log,  when  running  ripples,  among  protrud 
ing  rocks,  or  on  the  uppermost  stick  jin  a  moving 
jam.  when  a  slip  might  cause  him  to  be  crushed, 
or  to  drown  among  the  moving  logs,  constantly 
squirming,  rolling,  and  sometimes  raised  on  end 
l»y  the  great  power  of  water  exerting  its  force 
against  them. 

In  the  river-driving  business,  a  good  boatman 
commands  about  equal  pay  with  the  best  drivers. 
In  moving  camp,  the  provisions.  camp-<juilts. 


NED  MINTON.  89 

cooking  utensils,  stoves  and  tools,  are  moved  in 
flat  bottom  boats,  from  twenty-five  to  forty  feet 
in  length  and  from  six  to  eight  feet  wide,  at  the 
centre,  tapering  to  a  sharp  point  at  either  end. 

When  ready  to  run,  the  boatman  with  paddle 
in  hand  takes  a  position  in  the  stern,  to  steer, 
while  the  two  other  men  are  placed  in  the  bow, 
with  poles  to  fend  from  the  rocks,  or  assist  in 
taking  a  devious  course  to  avoid  a  projecting 
rock  or  snag.  In  many  places  boats  are  run 
where  the  water  is  whirling  and  foaming  over 
rocks  so  thickly  set,  that  barely  room  is  found  to 
pass  between  them.  Occassionally,  though  the 
boatman  be  ever  so  experienced  and  watchful, 
the  bow  or  bottom  is  broken  in,  or  the  boat 
becomes  incontrollable,  and  veering  across  the 
stream  is  filled  with  water,  or  overturned,  thereby 
losing  or  greatly  damaging  the  supplies  and 
endangering  the  lives  of  the  boatmen. 

On  large  lakes  all  booms  are  supplied  with 
head  works  and  windlass  to  be  used  in  warping  in 
calm  weather,  and  in  rolling  the  boom  to  a  true 
course  when  driven  by  the  wind.  These  head- 
works  consist  of  a  number  of  large  logs  securely 
pinned  together  and  connected  with  the  boom, 
which,  in  many  instances,  contain  several  million 
feet  of  logs.  When  this  great  boom  is  to  be 


90  THK   ADYKXTrilES  OF 

moved,  the  anchor  is  carrie<l  out  in  a  boat  an<l 
cast  overboard  at  a  point  to  give  a  draft  on  the 
warp,  to  swing  the  boom  as  desired.  As  the 
anchor  is  roiled  til  again,  the  sturdy  boat  crew  is 
supposed  to  be  in  position  to  receive  it  and  make 
another  shot,  as  throwing  it  is  called,  as  quickly 
as  possible,  before  t he  boom  loses  its  headway  or 
deviates  from  the  course. 

Immediately  after  the  anchor  is  cast,  the  men 
on  the  head  works  turn  the  windlass  slowly,  or 
hold  a  taut  warp,  to  give  the  boom  a  list  ahead 
or  roll  it  around  a  rocky  point  or  island  which, 
perchance,  is  to  be  passed. 

The  tent  is  usually  pitched  upon  the  headworks, 
which  serves  as  headquarters  for  cooking,  eating 
and  sleeping,  until  the  lake  is  crossed,  which  may 
be  done  in  a  few  hours,  if  all  goes  well  and  the 
wind  is  fair;  but  instances  are  on  record  where 
strong  head  winds  have  made  it  impossible,  for 
forty  consecutive  days,  to  move  the  boom  toward 
its  destination  and  dangerous  to  start  a  warp  by 
which  it  was  secured  to  the  shore. 

At  such  times,  the  men  having  little  or  no  labor 
to  perform,  amuse  themselves  by  boxing,  wrest 
ling,  running,  jumping,  casting  hand  spikes  and 
various  other  sports.  Many  amusing  incidents 


NED  MINTON.  91 

frequently  transpire  to  break  the  monotony  of 
the  cruise  and  enliven  the  spirits  of  the  men. 

On  the  present  occasion,  fair  winds  came  in  due 
season,  by  which  the  boom  was  driven  to  the  foot 
of  Fourth  Lake,  where  the  logs  were  sluiced 
through  the  dam  and  kept  running  by  some 
thirty-five  men,  stationed  along  the  stream. 

The  men  in  this  crew,  as  were  those  in  all  others, 
in  those  days,  were  required  to  work  from  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eight  in  the  evening, 
in  order  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  the  spring 
freshet ;  hence  a  lunch  of  beef,  doughnuts  and  tea 
was  served  each  day  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon 
and  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  at  con 
venient  points  along  the  line. 

On  one  occasion  the  familiar  call  "Luncheon! 
Luncheon!  Luncheon!"  was  heard  by  Ned,  and 
five  others,  who  were  at  work  tending  a  space 
along  a  sharp  ripple,  terminating  in  a  deep  pool. 
Ned  hopped  to  a  log  to  pass  to  the  place  where 
lunch  was  being  served,  and  had  just  reached  the 
swift  water,  when  he  heard  a  shout,  and  looking 
back  saw  the  other  five  men,  all  on  one  large  log, 
polling,  in  hot  pursuit,  and  calling  to  him  to  clear 
the  way  or  they  would  roll  him  in.  Ned  was  the 
kid  of  the  crew,  yet  he  kept  his  log  steady  until 
the*  other  log  came  abreast,  when  both,  bumping 


92  THE  ADVKNTIKES  OF 

against  the  rocks  began  to  roll.  The  men  then 
commenced  to  skip  lively  back  and  forth  from  one 
log  to  the  other.  Just  as  the  logs  ran  into  deeper 
water,  they  became  separated.  Then,  when  in 
sight  of  all  the  men  on  the  bank,  the  log  which 
Ned  was  on  ran  near  a  large  sloping  rock,  in  the 
flowage,  and  to  save  himself  from  a  ducking,  he 
sprang  upon  it  and  bounded  to  the  top,  in  season 
to  see  man  after  man,  to  the  last  one,  of  those 
behind  him,  tumble  into  the  chilly  water  of  the 
stream.  One  of  them,  an  old  driver,  whose  chin 
was  barely  in  sight,  made  the  situation  doubly 
ludicrous  by  exclaiming  through  his  chattering 
teeth,  "Wha-t  in  thunder  air  you-you  do-doing 
on.  The-re  is  no-o  need  of  get-ting  in."  This 
brought  a  shout  from  the  men  on  the  bank,  and 
it  was  again  repeated  when  Ned  vaulted  to  the 
log,  from  which  those  who  were  plashing  in  the 
water  had  just  fallen,  and  ran,  dry  shod,  to  the 
shore. 

When  they  were  all  assembled  and  discussing 
the  event,  Ned  was  congratulated  by  the  boss, 
and  promoted  from  the  hardships  of  sacking  rear, 
as  it  was  called,  and  given  a  position  on  the  front 
of  the  drive,  with  the  expert  members  of  the  crewr. 
This  appointment  was  pleasing  to  the  lad,  who 
had  a  great  ambition  to  handle  a  "peavy"  on 


NED  MINTON.  93 

dangerous  jams,  where  good  judgment  and  dex 
terous  work  were  at  a  premium. 

When  the  logs  were  boomed  out  into  the 
head  of  Third  Lake,  easterly  winds  prevailed, 
preventing  the  movement  of  the  boom.  While 
idle,  the  men  were  ever  on  the  alert  for  something 
to  while  away  the  time.  One  evening,  while  Ned 
was  unsuspectingly  sitting  before  the  fire,  a 
grotesquely  clad  individual,  with  two  assistants, 
made  his  appearance,  and  the  spokesman  an 
nounced  to  Ned  that  he  was  no  other  personage 
than  "Old  Nick,"  come  to  shave  the  .tender-foot, 
in  the  crew,  in  accordance  with  a  custom  institu 
ted  when  the  first  white  men  began  logging  on  the 
river.  His  shaving  mug  was  a  bucket,  his  razor 
an  iron  hoop,  and  his  brush  a  bunch  of  bulrushes, 
gathered  from  a  near  by  swale. 

Ned  protested  with  all  the  eloquence  of  which 
he  was  capable,  but  his  protestations  were  in 
vain.  He  was  seized  by  the  three  men  and  planted 
upon  the  head  of  a  barrel,  lathered,  and  shaved 
with  the  hoop,  in  accordance  with  the  custom 
from  which  none,  on  their  initiatory  trip  on  the 
river,  had  ever  escaped. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Boat  and  Deer  Race  In  Lake.—  Calling  and  Shooting 

Moose.—  A.     Surprised    and     Disconcerted 

.Animal-  —  Letter*  From  Home.  —  Love 

Match.—  Drive  A.11  In  Boom.— 

Insect  Torments.—  Home 

ward  Bound. 


was  no  lack  of  water  for  log  driving  the 
spring  Ned  Mint  on  was  employed  on  the  lake 
drive,  and  as  the  prevailing  winds  were  fair, 
speedy  pro<rivss  was  made.  By  the  last  of  May 
the  drive  was  passing  through  Second  Lake,  with 
a  clean  rear  below  Magazine  Pitch,  and  a  fair 
head  of  water  yet  remaining  in  Third  and  Fourth 
Lakes  to  use  as  reinforcement  in  floating  the  logs 
over  Great  Falls  and  into  the  boom.  Since  the 
log  rare  in  Fourth  Lake,  Ned  had  been  with  the 
gang  near  the  front,  and  had  learned  much  about 
breaking  jams  and  handling  logs  in  rough  and 
dangerous  places. 

Sometimes  some  very  diverting  incidents  arose 
on  tljH  drive.  One  day  when  the  logs  were  passing 
through  Second  Lake,  two  deer  were  seen  swim 
ming  across,  at  a  point  near  the  head.  Ned  and 

94 


NED  MINTON.  95 

three  other  men  immediately  sprang  into  a  boat, 
near  by,  and  pulled  out  in  hot  pursuit.  The  deer 
did  not  change  their  course,  until  the  boat  neared 
a  point  which  intercepted  their  landing,  then  they 
became  excited,  circled  around  and  endeavored  to 
return  to  the  shore  from  where  they  came.  Then 
the  race  became  most  exciting,  the  boat  skimmed 
the  water,  as  the  four  men  bent  lustily  to  the 
paddles ;  but  the  deer  swam  with  a  lightness  and 
speed  which  bid  fair  for  them  to  gain  a  footing  on 
shore,  before  those  in  the  boat  could  overtake 
them.  As  they  neared  the  land,  the  men  seeing 
that  they  were  likely  to  escape,  gave  a  shout 
which  frightened  them,  and  caused  them  to  jump 
up  and  down  in  the  water  without  making  much 
headway,  and  also  to  veer  from  their  course. 
This  gave  the  advantage  to  the  boatman,  who 
forced  the  boat  ahead,  directly  between  the  deer, 
crowding  them  apart,  one  turning  slightly  to  the 
right,  the  other  to  the  left.  Ned,  who  was  near 
the  bow,  caught  up  a  rope,  throwing  the  bite 
squarely  over  the  antlers  of  the  deer  nearest  him. 
The  animal  was  caught  fast,  and  struggled  in 
vain  to  free  himself. 

Joe  Lewey,  an  Indian,  who  stood  next,  in  the 
boat,  to  Ned,  caught  up  an  ax  and  struck  at  the 
unhampered  deer,  but  missed  his  mark.  The 


96  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

other  two  men  got  in  a  few  harmless  blows,  with 
their  paddles.  All  was  excitement,  each  man 
giving  orders  impossible  to  be  executed.  The 
deer  which  Ned  held,  made  such  efforts  to  get  free, 
that  he  pulled  the  bow  of  the  boat  around,  so 
that  the  other  wag  now  beyond  the  reach  of  ax  or 
paddle;  but  Joe,  in  his  excitement,  exclaimed, 
"Me  git  him  yet;"  at"  the  same  time  he  reached 
far  out,  and  made  a  savage  lunge  with  his  pick 
pole.  This  act  caused  him  to  lose  his  balance  and 
fall  headlong  into  the  lake.  Joe  was  dragged  on 
board  just  in  season  to  see  the  deer  reach  the 
shore  and  bound  away  in  the  forest. 

The  deer  which  Ned  held  by  the  rope  was  greatly 
excited  at  first,  but  soon  became  quieter.  The 
Indian,  who  was  being  joked  for  tumbling  from 
the  boat,  lost  his  temper,  and  caught  up  the  ax, 
exclaiming,  "Me  kill  deer  this  time,  sure!"  and 
gave  the  animal  a  quick  blow  on  the  skull,  which 
stunned  him.  He  was  then  bled  and  taken  into 
the  boat.  The  Indian  dressed  and  prepared  him 
for  the  pot,  before  resuming  work  on  the  logs. 

That  afternoon  the  tent  was  pitched  on  the 
high  ground  bordering  the  lake,  and  at  night  the 
cook  served  the  crew  with  a  supper  of  smothered 
meat  fit  for  a  king.  After  Joe  had  feasted  on  the 
stew,  he  became  pleasant  again,  and  remained  so, 


NED  MINTON.  97 

save  when  some  one  alluded  to  his  plunge,  then 
his  eyes  would  shoot  fire,  and  his  language 
become  a  mixture  of  Indian  and  English  too 
profuse  to  be  well  understood. 

A  day  or  two  later  the  rear  of  the  drive  ran 
through  First  Lake  into  Main  River.  The  crew 
was  then  divided  into  several  gangs  and  dis 
tributed  along  the  river  a  distance  of  twenty 
miles.  The  headquarters  of  each  gang,  save  the 
rear  men,  were  established  at  a  point  where  jams 
were  likely  to  form.  There  were  eight  men  in  the 
gang  to  which  Ned  was  attached  and  they  were 
ordered  to  pitch  their  tent  at  Holmes'  Falls.  Six 
members  of  this  crewr  ran  down  on  the  front  of 
the  drive,  while  later4,  Joe  Lewey  and  Ned  Minton 
made  the  passage  by  boat.  In  the  boat  were 
the  provisions,  camping  outfit,  and  a  rifle,  the 
only  flre-arrn  on  the  drive.  On  the  passage  down, 
Lewey,  who  had  charge  of  the  boat,  shot  a  mink 
and  two  otter. 

The  most  of  the  drive  thus  far  had  run  into 
the  eddies  and  caught  along  the  shores,  for  which 
reason  there  was  no  great  necessity  of  watching 
the  falls  to  prevent  jams,  before  morning,  when 
the  logs  would  be  running  more  thickly. 

While  those  who  first  arrived  were  engaged  in 
putting  up  the  tent  and  picking  boughs  to  put 


98  THK    ADVKXTl HKS   OF 

under  the  quilts,  for  beds,  Joe,  who  noticed  that 
Ned  waa  loading  the  rifle,  said  to  him.  ••.Md>i>y  I 
call  moose,  you  shoot  um."  "How  can  you  call  a 
moose?"  queried  Ned,  "Come  back  on  rid^-.  Me 
show  you,"  replied  Lewey. 

Nf'l  had  never  seen  a  moose  consequently  was 
in  high  glee  at  the  possibility  of  getting  a  shot  at 
one  of  these  noble  animals.  On  Lewey 's  propo 
sition  he  was  up  and  off,  without  a  moments 
delay.  Joe  armed  himself  with  an  ax  and  when 
they  reached  a  hard-wood  ridge,  a  half  mile 
distant,  halted  and  peeled  a  strip  of  bark,  from 
a  white  birch  tree,  and  rolled  it  in  the  form  of  a 
horn  or  tunnel.  Ned,  who  stood  watching  him, 
curiously,  asked  him  what  he  was  going  to  do 
with  it.  ''Me  show  you,"  said  Lewey.  "Moose 
make  one  big  noise  when  him  call  mate,  same  as 
this."  He  then  raised  the  bark  to  his  mouth  and 
blew  a  loud  hoarse  blast.  ''Now  you  get  scare  we 
no  get  moose,  less  me  take  gun.  No  papoose  like 
you  ever  shoot  moose  first  time  him  see  one. 
When  moose  come,  him  run  climb  tree.  Afebby 
you  climb  tree,  too.  Better  give  me  gun — you 
takeax."  \<>. "said  Ned,  "not  much;  if  a  moose 
comes  here,  I  will  stand  my  ground,  unless  you 
run  first."  "Mebby  you  dont  know  what  bull 
moose  like,"  replied  Lewey.  He  then  commenced 


NED  MINTON.  99 

blowing  at  regular  intervals  of  about  a  minute, 
and  kept  it  up  for  ten  minutes,  when  a  hoarse 
response  was  heard  in  the  distance. 

"There  him  come  now,"  said  Lewey.  "Me  stand 
back  this  tree  with  ax,  you  stand  back  that  tree 
with  gun.  Don't  fire  'til  moose  near  to  put  bullet 
through  him  head.  When  me  call  him,  him  come 
right  on,  no  stop,  see?  You  no  kill  uni,  he  kill 
you." 

While  Lewey  was  giving  these  instructions  and 
admonitions,  he  gave  a  blast  at  the  close  of  each 
sentence,  the  responding  calls  sounding  nearer 
and  louder  each  time.  The  Indian  had  a  position 
behind  a  tree,  a  few  rods  in  advance,  and  to  the 
right  of  Xed,  and  when  he  heard  the  moose,  crash 
ing  through  the  timber,  he  gave  one  blast  more, 
then  cast  his  horn  upon  the  ground,  and  screened 
himself  from  sight  as  he  griped  his  ax  tightly. 

When  Ned  heard  the  animal,  crashing  toward 
him,  his  courage  almost  failed,  and  as  he  came 
into  full  view,  with  his  mane  bristling,  and  his 
head,  which  supported  an  enormous  set  of  antlers, 
erect,  he  felt  like  running;  but  he  remembered 
Lewey' s  admonitions,  and  his  own  promises,  and 
stood  his  ground.  Just  as  he  raised  his  gun,  the 
Indian  made  a  sound,  and  the  moose  stopped 
short,  and,  as  he  stood  in  a  listening  attitude, 


100  THK  AI>\  KM  I  KE8  OF 

turned  his  head  slightly.  Ned  aimed  for  his  eye, 
and  pulled  the  trigger.  The  moose  lurched  ahead 
and  came  to  his  knees. 

In  an  instant  Lewey  bounded  forward,  in  the 
true  Indian  way,  and  before  the  moose  could 
recover,  struck  him  on  the  head,  with  the  poll  of 
the  ax,  sending  him  on  his  broadside,  and  then 
gave  him  a  slash  on  the  neck  with  the  edge.  " 

Ned,  who  had  waited  to  reload,  now  came  for 
ward.  Lewey,  who  was  in  a  tremor,  looked  at 
him,  but  saw  no  signs  of  excitement  or  fear,  save 
the  drops  of  perspiration,  which  were  standing  on 
his  forehead,  wereupon,  he  remarked, — "You  no 
papoose.  You  big  Injun.  Make  good  shot. 
Most  in  eye."  Ned  stood  and  watched  the  death 
struggles  of  the  big  animal,  and  when  he  ceased 
to  move,  he  assisted  Lewey  in  dressing  and 
quartering  the  carcass.  He  then  cut  a  pole,  and 
the  two  men  carried  the  meat,  a  quarter  at  a  time, 
to  the  river  bank,  half  a  mile  above  the  falls. 
From  there  Ned  went  to  the  camp,  and  returned 
with  the  boat,  into  which  the  meat  was  packed 
and  carried  safely  down. 

Only  one  quarter  was  taken  from  the  boat, 
however,  the  remainder  being  left  to  be  conveyed 
to  and  distributed,  the  next  day,  at  the  other 
camping  stations,  farther  up  the  river,  where  it 


NED  MINTON.  101 

was  well  appreciated  by  the  members  of  the  several 
gangs,  whose  fare,  thus  far,  had  consisted  princi 
pally  of  salt  beef  and  baked  beans. 

As  soon  as  the  logs  cleared  the  lakes,  a  message 
was  sent  to  those  in  charge  of  Third  Lake  dam, 
to  hoist  all  the  gates.  When  this  great  volume  of 
water  reached  the  logs  it  sent  them  bounding 
along,  clearing  the  rocks  on  the  falls  and  ripples. 
A  strong  crew  was  kept  rolling  the  rear,  from  the 
shores,  so  that  each  twenty-four  hours  found  the 
men,  thus  occupied,  several  miles  in  advance  of 
the  spot  upon  which  they  camped  the  night 
before. 

When  the  water,  from  the  lakes,  was  exerting  its 
full  force,  on  the  logs,  the  boss  driver,  who  was 
going  from  place  to  place  along  the  river,  to  learn 
the  conditions,  came  down  to  Holmes'  Falls. 
Early  the  next  morning  he  ordered  Ned  Minton  to 
go  to  Great  Falls,  five  or  six  miles  below,  and 
return  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  report  the 
conditions  and  needs  of  the  crew  which  had  been 
sent  there,  from  Machias,  to  swing  a  boom  to  pre 
vent  the  logs  from  running  on  in  advance  of  the 
time  that  the  water  would  be  at  its  best. 

Ned  began  the  journey  along  the  bank,  and,  as 
there  were  several  gulches  to  cross,  he  carried  a 
pick  pole  on  his  shoulder  to  aid  him  in  getting 


102  THE  ADVEXTl'RKS  OF 

over.  When  he  had  made  about  half  tin-  (list  mice, 
he  came  to  an  unusually  large  creek,  the  water  in 
which  was  too  deep  to  wade.  Accordingly  he  went 
to  the  edge  of  the  river,  and  placing  two  small 
logs  side  by  side,  mounted  them  and  shoved  out 
into  the  current.  The  water  being  swift,  he  kept 
to  the  logs,  after  the  gulch  was  passed,  as  an  easier 
and  more  speedy  method  of  advancement. 

As  he  was  gliding  along,  with  the  current,  his 
attention  was  attracted  by  a  large  animal,  of  the 
cat  species,  coming  along  the  bank  of  the  river, 
evidently  on  a  fresh  deer  trail.  He  traveled  with 
his  nose  to  the  ground,  and  was  so  intent  follow 
ing  the  scent  that  he  was  unmindful  of  Ned, 
who  lowered  his  pole  silently  in  the  water  and 
gave  a  few  vigorous  shoves,  toward  the  shore, 
than  raised  it  and  stood  perfectly  motionless  save 
that  motion  imparted  by  the  swift  current  in 
bearing  him  along. 

Wlipn  nearly  opposite,  the  animal  halted  and 
threw  his  head  high  in  air,  and  began  that  peculiar 
movement  of  the  tail  so  often  observed  in  the  cat 
family  when  about  to  spring  upon  their  prey. 
N»'<1  was  about  four  rods  distant  from  the  shore, 
and  began  to  feel  desperately  uneasy.  He  realized 
that  he  must  do  something  quickly  to  disconcert 
the  brute,  for  it  was  very  evident  that  ho  in- 


NED  MINTON.  103 

tended  to  attack  him,  and  was  even  then  assum 
ing  a  crouching  position  to  make  the  spring. 
Ned's  first  thought  was  to  shove  his  logs  beyond 
reach,  but  he  realized,  as  quickty,  that  there  was 
no  time  for  that  now,  and  he  regretted  that  he 
had  neglected  to  take  that  precaution  when  he 
could  have  done  so.  He  felt  there  was  but  one 
course  left,  whatever  the  result.  He  brought  his 
pole  down  with  all  his  might,  making  a  splash 
which  sent  the  water  flying  over  his  adversary, 
and  at  the  same  time  gave  forth  a  yell  that 
echoed  and  re-echoed  among  the  adjacent  hills 
and  cliffs. 

This  forceful  and  noisy  demonstration  acted 
like  magic  to  intimidate  the  powerful  and  danger 
ous  brute.  His  first  bound  was  made  over  a  bank 
toward  the  woods  and  he  stood  not  upon  the 
order  of  his  going.  He  was  plainly  heard,  by 
Ned,  for  several  minutes,  as  he  went  crashing 
through  the  woods,  over  the  dead  limbs  which 
cracked  and  broke  beneath  his  weight.  His  terror 
was  so  evident  that  Ned  had  no  fear  that  he 
would  again  come  back  to  molest  him. 

The  water  now  becoming  deeper,  and  the  current 
less  swift,  in  bearing  him  on,  he  polled  to  shore 
and  made  the  balance  of  his  journey  by  land. 

While  at  the  falls,  Ned  took   great   pains   to 


104  THE  ADVENTURES  OP 

notice  and  enquire  into  everything,  that  he  might 
be  able  to  report  fully  and  intelligently  on  all 
points,  in  accordance  with  his  instructions.  He 
then  started  on  his  return  trip  and  arrived  at  the 
camping  ground  as  the  shades  of  night  were 
gathering,  with  a  density  that  made  his  course  a 
little  uncertain. 

His  arrival  gladdened  the  hearts  of  his  fellow 
laborers,  for  he  brought  them  letters  and  papers, 
the  first  received  from  their  dear  ones,  since 
leaving  them  to  go  on  the  drive.  Among  the 
letters  for  himself  was  one  from  his  old  friend, 
Hiram  Quagley.  This  letter  contained  m>\\s 
which  he  most  desired  to  learn,  such  as  the 
arrangements  for  races  and  dances,  to  take  place 
that  spring,  the  societies  formed,  love  matches, 
business  prospects,  and  so  on.  Ned  read  all  the 
letter  with  interest,  but  seemed  to  ponder  longest 
over  that  part  which  told  that  Miss  Angelia 
Seeley  had  been  over  lately,  and  had  inquired  for 
him. 

Hiram  also  stated  that  he  had  been  to  St.  John, 
N.  B.,  and  that  he  had  engaged  to  work  there  the 
coming  season.  While  there  he  said  he  had  met  .1 
fine  girl,  who  possessed  greater  charms  and 
virtues,  than  he  had  ever  before  ascribed  to  the 
sex.  He  felt  sure  that  Ned  would  acknowledge 


NED  MINTON.  105 

this  fact,  if  he  could  see  her  and  become  personally 
acquainted.  The  snatches  of  description  of  the 
city,  which  he  gave,  were  coupled  with  Miss  Diana 
Hubert,  the  girl  in "  question.  He  also  spoke 
appreciatively  of  those  of  high  social  position,  by 
whom  he  had  been  cordially  received  through  the 
influence  of  Miss  Hubert. 

He  had  frequently  met  this  young  lady  at  these 
gay  entertainments  and  they  had  become  very 
good  friends.  The  point  which  he  dwelt  upon 
most,  in  his  letter,  however,  was,  that  he  had 
learned  from  talking  with  her,  that  this  gay  life 
which  she  participated,  in  largely  to  please  her 
parents,  was  utterly  distasteful  to  her,  and  that 
her  most  ardent  desire  was  a  home  far  away  from 
the  city,  and  the  love  and  confidence  of  an  honest 
and  kind  companion,  possessed  of  a  true  and  re 
sponsive  heart,  for  the  country  was  always  invit 
ing  to  her,  and  she  loved  its  quietude  and  the 
grandeur  of  scenery  much  better  than  she  did  the 
city. 

Ned  wrote  an  answer  to  Hiram's  letter  that 
night.  He  informed  him  that  he  probably  would 
be  home  in  a  few  days,  for  several  men  were  to  be 
discharged  from  the  drive,  the  next  day,  as  the  rear 
was  now  coming  close  down  and  there  was  no 
longer  necessity  for  so  large  a  crew.  The  most  of 


!<)<>  THi:    ADVKNT!  KKS   OP 

the  <lrm»  was  already  over  Great  Falls,  and 
logs  were  running  down  to  the  boom,  six  miles 
below. 

X*'»l  also  wrote  that  he  appreciated  Miss  Seeley's 
interest  in  his  welfare,  but  did  not  iliink  it  wise, 
under  the  present  circumstances,  to  renew  their 
short  acquaintance,  even  for  friendship's  sake. 
He  said  Miss  Seeley  had,  apparently,  chosen 
Herbert  Holmes  and  he  had  no  desire  to  take  a 
course  which  might  lead  to  an  enstrangernent  and 
unhappiness  on  the  part  of  the  couple.  If  he 
married,  the  young  lady  of  his  choice  must  come 
up  to  his  ideal  of  true  womanhood.  He  had 
much  rather  live  a  sporting  life  with  bachelorship, 
than  accept  anything  less.  He  congratulated 
Hiram  on  finding  about  the  kind  of  a  girl  he 
had  pictured  for  himself,  and  if,  on  further 
acquaintance,  she  proved  what  she  appeared,  he 
advised  him  to  settle  the  matter  as  speedily  as 
possible,  as  he  would,  doubtless,  be  happy,  whether 
destiny  consigned  them  to  a  cot  in  the  woods, 
which  Miss  Hubert  so  fancied,  or  a  mansion  in 
the  city. 

Two  days  later,  Ned  saw  the  last  log  of  the 
drive  run  over  Great  Falls.  Dnring  the  last  few 
weeks  the  temper  and  endurance  of  the  men  had 
been  greatly  tried  by  the  prevalence  of  black  flies, 


NED  MINTON.  107 

midges  and  mosquitoes,  which  swarmed  down  in 
clouds  upon  them,  on  calm  evenings,  or  during  the 
day,  when  their  position  was  such  that  the  force 
of  the  wind  was  broken  by  the  forest  or  the 
surrounding  hills.  Ned  had  stood  their  fierce 
attacks  uncomplainingly,  but  now  that  the  last 
camp  was  to  be  broken,  he  took  a  retrospective 
view  with  the  result  that  he  regarded  the  knowl 
edge  attained  of  character,  conditions  and  events, 
of  great  and  lasting  value  to  him  whatever  his 
future  course  in  life  might  be. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The    Election.—  Secea»lon.—  The   Civil    Wer.—  Patri 

otic  Uprising.—  Incident*  at  ttia  State  Capitol.— 

Governor  "Wawhbvirn'a  Order. 


year  following  his  log  driving  cruise, 
on  Main  River,  Ned  Minton  entered  into  a 
logging  and  milling  business  for  himself,  which  he 
followed  with  considerable  success,  until  the  year 
1861. 

In  those  days  sectional  politics  ran  high.  The 
political  situation,  south,  which  became  intensified 
in  1859,  by  John  Brown's  capture  of  Harper's 
Ferry  and  his  attempt  to  free  the  slaves,  in 
Virginia,  was  again  disturbed,  in  a  far  greater 
measure,  by  the  election  of  the  Republican  candi 
date,  Abraham  Lincoln,  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
United  States;  which  event  would  give  the  Re 
publican  party  control  of  the  government.  By 
reason  of  this  circumstance,  the  southern  states 
began  taking  measures  to  secede  from  the  union, 
after  March  4th,  1861. 

In  January  of  that  year,  the  steamer  Star  of 
the  West,  while  attempting  to  carry  provisions  to 
Major  Anderson,  at  Fort  Sumpter,  in  Charleston  n 
Harbor,  was  fired  upon  and  driven  back.  When 


NED  MINTOX.  109 

this  news  came  over  the  wires,  Ned  was  fired  with 
patriotic  indignation,  and  at  once  declared  his 
determination  to  go  to  the  defence  of  his  country, 
at  the  first  call. 

After  Lincoln's  inauguration,  his  order  for  ships 
to  sail  from  New  York,  with  supplies  for  Fort 
Sumpter,  was  the  signal  forBeauregards  batteries, 
on  Morris  Island,  to  bombard  the  fort,  forcing  its 
garrison  to  surrender  thirty-six  hours  later.  This 
was  on  April  14,  1861.  The  next  day  Lincoln 
issued  his  proclamation  calling  for  seventy-five 
thousand  volunteers.  Patriotism  ran  so  high, 
in  the  loyal  north,  that  three  hundred  thousand 
immediately  responded  by  offering  their  services. 

Ned  Minton  was  one  of  the  number  who  pledged 
to  join  a  company  then  forming  for  the  Eleventh 
Maine  Regiment.  When  his  mother  was  told  of 
this  she  was  greatly  disturbed,  and  declared,  em 
phatically,  that  she  could  not  give  her  only  son  as 
a  sacrifice,  however  urgent  the  demands  of  the 
Government.  Ned's  father,  however,  was  of  a 
more  patriotic  turn,  and  secretly  encouraged  Ned 
to  carry  out  his  intention,  saying  that  he,  too. 
would  go,  were  he  not  precluded  by  age,  arid  other 
disabilities. 

Ned  did  not  again  speak  of  the  army,  in  the 
presence  of  his  mother,  but  he  went  about  his 


110  Till.   Al'Vi'.vn  RE8  OF 

work,  in  a  dazed  sort  of  way,  plainly  showing 
that  his  heart  was  with  those  who  were  enrolling, 
from  his  own  town,  and  were  to  leave  in  a  i'«-w 
days  for  the  state  capitol,  where  troops  had 
already  assembled  in  considerable  numbers.  On 
Sunday  evening,  previous  to  the  departure  next 
morning,  of  a  score  of  3'oung  men,  for  Augusta, 
after  his  parents  had  retired,  Ned  tit-d  his  best 
suit  of  clothes  in  a  bundle  and  secreted  them 
under  the  rose  bush  in  the  front  yard.  He  then 
went  to  bed,  but  not  to  sleep.  He  felt  that  he 
owed  a  duty  to  his  mother,  most  certainly,  but 
he  could  not  think  that  she  was  entitled  to  a 
precedence  in  his  allegiance,  when  his  country  was 
being  torn  asunder,  state  by  state,  by  traitor 
hands. 

At  the  usual  hour  he  came  down  to  breakfast, 
next  morning,  dressed  in  his  mill  suit,  just  as  he 
had  done  countless  other  mornings.  His  mother 
had  no  suspicion  that  he  intended  to  join  the 
volunteers,  although  she  noted  that  lie  greeted 
the  family  with  unusual  affection  and  lingered  on 
the  threshold,  to  view  the  familiar  surroundings, 
before  his  final  departure.  He  passed  down  the 
walk  and  halted  opposite  the  rose  bush  where  he 
began  shuffling  a  quick  step  to  divert  attention 
should  anybody  be  watching  him  from  the 


NED   MINTON.  Ill 

window.  Glancing  up  and  seeing  no  one  there,  he 
caught  up  the  bundle,  which  he  had  hidden  the 
night  before,  and  hurried  away. 

He  passed  the  mill  where  he  had  been  emploj'ed, 
and  went  straight  to  the  house  of  Charlie  Benner, 
who  had  enlisted  a  month  previous,  and  was 
about  to  leave  with  the  men,  who  were  waiting  for 
the  team  to  arrive  for  them.  He  changed  his 
clothes  here,  but  dared  not  trust  himself  to  tarry, 
and  participate  in  the  tearful  partings,  which 
took  place  between  dear  ones,  many  of  whom  were 
destined  never  to  meet  again  on  earth.  The  team 
and  driver,  which  he  had  engaged,  were  now  in 
waiting  at  the  door,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  reach', 
he  sprang  into  the  carriage,  and  drove  away, 
depressed  in  spirit,  and  almost  regretting  that  he 
had  chosen  the  course  which  he  was  pursuing. 
Yet  one  word,  DUTY,  duty  to  God  and  country, 
kept  ringing  in  his  ears,  and  urging  him  forward. 

Patriotism  was  apparent  everywhere  through 
out  the  North,  alike  in  the  palace  of  the  rich,  and 
the  cot  of  the  lowly  peasant.  At  every  station 
the  soldiers,  en  route  for  the  front,  were  greeted  by 
gaily  dressed  matrons  and  maidens,  bearing  flags, 
and  baskets  of  luscious  fruit,  and  choice  and  sav 
ory  food,  which  they  served  without  money 
without  price,  while  they  cheered  and 


112  THE  AWKXTrilKS  <»K 

encouraevd  the  boys  with  demonstrations  of 
love  and  il«'vot  ion.  strangers  though  they  were, 
more  ardent  and  deep  than  was  ever  before 
witnessed  between  friends,  even,  of  long  and 
familiar  acquaintance. 

Before  the  Republican  party  came  into  power, 
the  unit  hern  arsenals  had  been  stripped  of  arms, 
to  serve  the  south,  hence  the  one  great  cry  wan, 
arms!  arms! — to  supply  the  the  thousands  of  ar 
dent  young  men,  who  were  urging  their  service 
upon  the  government.  As  fast  as  they  arrived  at 
Augusta,  they  were  armed  with  the  old  flint  lock 
"Queen's  arm,"  some  of  which  were  made  over 
into  percussion,  or,  perchance,  were  without  lock 
of  any  kind.  These  served  to  aid  in  learning  th»- 
nianuel,  and  lent  a  soldierly  appearance  to  those 
who  were  walking  beats,  and  gaining  a  rudiment 
ary  knowledge  of  the  duties  required  of  them  as 
soldiers. 

Ned  enlisted  as  a  private,  in  the  llth  Main«- 
Volunteers,  and  after  passing  a  physical  exami 
nation,  was  assigned  a  tent  with  his  friend, 
Charlie  Benner.  The  regiment  was  quartered  on 
the  parade  ground,  in  front  of  the  State  House 
wheiv  camp  guards  were  posted  with  strict  orders 
to  allow  no  one  to  go  out  without  a  pass  from 
the  commanding  officer.  Discipline  was  lax,  and 


NED  MINTON.  113 

camp  guards  were  easily  prevailed  upon  to  allow 
comrades  to  pass  their  beats.  Unlettered  sentinels 
were  frequently  imposed  upon  by  sharp  soldiers, 
who  presented  them  with  papers  purporting  to  be 
passes,  which,  instead  of  originating  with  the 
commander,  were,  in  reality,  gotten  up  for  the 
occasion  by  some  sharp  soldier,  who  was  a  skilled 
knight  of  the  quill,  capable  of  scrawling  unread 
able  hieroglyphics.  Tender  hearted  guards  were 
influenced  by  pitiful  stories  of  sick  friends  in  the 
city,  or  dear  ones  leaving  on  the  next  out-going 
train. 

Ned  Minton  had  not  been  an  hour  in  camp, 
before  he  approached  an  Irish  sentinel  armed  with 
a  club,  and  with  a  most  patronizing  air,  asked  to 
be  permitted  to  pass  out  for  just  a  few  moments. 
The  Irishman  halted,  and  gave  him  a  pitying- 
look,  as  he  inquired, — "For  what  does  ye  want  to 
go  for?"  "I  want  to  see  my  mother,  who  will 
leave  on  the  next  train,"  said  Ned.  "Oh!  yer 
moother,  is  it  ?  Iviry  brat  of  a  bie  has  a  moother 
laving  on  the  nixt  train,  I  should  say,  be  the 
sthories  I  hear.  I  knows  me  duty,  me  bie;  so 
whin  I'm  going  up  to  me  hub,  yandre,  ye  can  walk 
out,  and  of  course  I'm  not  to  know  ave  it."  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  Ned  walked  out. 

Troops  were  constantly  arriving,  and  the  facili- 


114  THE   ADVKNTl  HKS  OF 

ties,  of  the  state,  being  limited  for  caring  for  so 
many  IIHMI,  at  once,  after  about  three  weeks  spent 
in  drill  and  discipline,  the  iv<riin<>nt  was  ordered, 
by  (Jovcnior  \Vasliburn,  to  take  passage  by  train 
for  Washington.  This  order  was  of  a  decidedly 
complinirn  t  a  ry  nature  to  the  character  and  soldier 
ly  qualities  of  the  men.  We  quote  it  as  follows : 

"The  Commander-in-Chief  cannot  permit  the 
present  occasion  to  pass  without  an  expression  of 
his  gratification  at  the  increasing  patriotism  of 
his  fellow  citizens,  shown  in  the  promptness  with 
which  the  members  of  this  regiment  have  enlisted 
for  the  defense  of  the  government,  and  the  zeal 
and  readiness  with  which  they  have  taken  upon 
themselves  the  obligations  of  a  soldier.  Their 
sense  of  duty  has  surmounted  the  motive  of  spe 
cial  bounty,  heretofore  bestowed,  and  made  them 
willing  to  do  and  to  suffer,  if  need  be,  for  the  vin 
dication  of  the  majesty  of  the  laws  and  the 
imperishable  constitution." 

By  Order  of  the  Commander-in-chief 
Signed,  John  L.  Hodgdon, 

Adjutant  General. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Off    for    Washington. — Through.   Portland. — Inspira 
tion  of  the  Regimental  Bard. — Arrival. — 
Killing  Time.— Feter  Freezer  Re 
lates  Story  of  His  Life. 

(2)X  the  morning  of  Nov.  13th,  1861,  before  day 
break,  tents  were  struck  and  packed  into  the 
wagons  for  removal  to  the  cars,  and  the  camp- 
fires  were  kept  burning  with  increasing  brilliancy 
by  reason  of  camp  debris  which  was  being  heaped 
upon  them.  Officers  and  non-commissioned  offi 
cers  hurried  back  and  forth,  shouting  orders  and 
counter  orders,  to  the  men,  and  extending  compli 
ments  to  the  throngs  of  loyal  women  and  girls 
who  had  arisen  at  this  unseemly  hour,  and  in 
charming  costumes,  bearing  pails  of  hot  coffee, 
sandwiches,  cakes  and  pies,  sought  to  cheer  the 
hearts  of  the  heroes  about  to  depart  for  the 
seat  of  war. 

At  last  the  regiment  was  aboard  the  train  and 
on  the  way  to  Portland.  Enthusiasm  was  mani 
fested  all  along  the  route.  Crowds  were  at  the 
stations,  flags  floated  from  man3r  houses,  and 
deligations  of  town  officials  bade  the  soldiers  God 
speed,  at  every  stopping  place.  Girls  were  weep 
ing  in  sympathetic  excitement,  and  appeared 

115 


IK)  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

pleased  when  some  bold  soldier-boy,  in  his  gallan- 
try,  leaped  from  his  car  and  clasped  ;ui  especially 
pretty  one  in  his  arms  and  kissed  her  a  hearty 
good  bye.  If,  perchance,  she  resented  it  by  an  out 
cry,  the  sound  was  quickly  drowned  in  the  hurrah 
raised  by  his  comrades  and  her  friends,  all  of 
\vh<  >m  greeted  alike  his  exuberancy  of  spirit. 

As  the  train  sped  on  toward  Portland,  that  city 
heretofore  noted  for  the  patriotic  receptions  ac 
corded  the  outgoing  soldiers,  all  were  expecting 
to  be  served  a  grand  collation ;  but  the  rank  and 
file,  of  this  regiment,  were  doomed  to  disappoint 
ment,  and  were  forced  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of 
their  appetite  by  munching  dry  hard  tack.  This 
disappointment  so  inspired  "Sute  Albee"  of  Co.  C, 
the  regimental  bard,  that,  shortly  after  leaving 
the  city,  he  broke  forth  into  a  song  of  some  thirty 
or  forty  verses,  the  chorus  of  which  is  yet  well 
remembered.  It  ran  as  follows : 

"The  rot  took  their  potatoes, 

And  the  weavel  took  their  grain ; 
So  they'd  nothing  left  to  give  us, 
In  Portland  city,  Maine." 

On  arriving  in  Washington,  tents  were  pitched 
on  Meridian  Hill,  where  the  regiment  remained 
until  New  Year's  day,  1862,  when  it  removed  to 
Carver  Barracks,  built  by  detailed  artificers  of  the 


NED  MINTON.  117 

brigade,  which  consisted  of  the  Eleventh  Maine, 
One  Hundred  and  Fourth  and  Fifty  Second  Penn 
sylvania,  the  Fifty  Sixth  and  One  Hundredth  New 
York,  Regiments  of  Infantry,  and  Regan's  Seventh 
New  York  Battery  of  six,  three  inch,  ordnance 
guns.  The  winter  was  passed  in  perfecting  the 
drill  and  discipline  of  the  men,  the  officers  gaining 
the  most  of  their  technical  military  knowledge 
from  Casey's  Tactics,  a  patriotic  revision  of  the 
rebel  Hardee's. 

How  to  kill  time  when  off  duty  was  a  problem. 
A  few  at  a  time  could  get  passes  to  visit  the  city, 
but  these  passes  were  few  and  far  between.  On 
one  occasion,  Ned  and  his  tent  mate,  Corporal 
Charlie  Benner,  later,  the  Orderly  Sergeant  of  the 
company,  visited  the  city  on  a  pass,  and  while  in 
the  dome  of  the  Capitol  were  joined  by  two  ladies, 
evidently  enthusiastic  rebel  sympathisers.  They 
had  brought  observation  glasses,  with  them,  and 
as  they  gazed  out  across  the  space  of  country, 
separating  the  hostile  armies,  one  of  them  ex 
claimed,  sarcastically,— "What  a  pleasure  it  is  to 
view  the  camp  of  our  friends  over  the  river !  How 
I  should  like  to  go  out  and  embrace  those  dear 
boys!"  "There  will  be  no  occasion  for  going 
out,"  remarked  Ned,  drollingly,  "for  we  will  move 
that  way  in  a  few  days,  and  will  escort  them  in. 


118  THE  ADVKXTUIKS  OF 

and  place  them  on  exhibition  for  your  special 
benefit."  They  turned  and  gave  him  an  angry 
look,  gathered  up  their  silk  skirts,  and  quickly 
retreated  down  the  winding  stairs. 

.NVil  had  enlisted  as  a  private,  but  before  many 
months,  had  passed,  he  had  received  promotion 
after  promotion,  for  his  military  bearing  and 
strict  attention  to  duty,  and  now  he  stood  within 
one  step  of  the  pinnacle  in  the  non-commissioned 
^rade.  He  was  temperate,  in  his  habits,  and  it 
was  a  frequent  cause  of  regret  to  him  to  see  many 
of  his  comrades,  otherwise  worthy  of  promotion, 
kept  down  by  the  demon  rum.  He  often  used  his 
influence  to  persuade  the  men  to  abstain  from 
drink,  and  his  efforts  to  prevent  the  admission  of 
liquor  to  the  camp-ground.  He  had  witnessed 
the  agony  of  many  an  otherwise  good  soldier 
forced  to  sit  astride  the  "brigade  horse"  for 
hours  at  a  time,  in  the  broiling  sun,  for  drinking 
too  freely,  and  he  pitied  them  and  sought  to 
strike  the  trouble  at  the  fountain  head.  The 
commanding  officer,  learning  of  his  efforts,  in  the 
line  of  temperance,  had  him  detailed  to  do  provost 
duty  in  the  city.  Before  he  had  served  there  t\\<> 
weeks  he  had  seized  ten  thousand  gallons  of 
liquor  and  spilled  it  in  the  gutters,  by  order 
of  the  Provost  Marshall  General. 


NED  MINTON.  119 

Oftentimes,  for  amusement,  small  groups  used 
to  meet  at  the  different  tents  in  the  company,  and 
oblige  each  occupant  to  tell  the  story  of  his  life. 
Ned,  and  a  number  of  other  congeniel  spirits,  in 
pursuit  of  amusement,  met  at  Peter  Feezer's  tent 
one  evening,  and  told  him  he  must  "relate." 
Peter  was  a  character,  and  he  looked  it,  not  only 
from  his  half  closed  red  eyes,  but  from  his  red 
hair,  as  well,  and  his  half  bent  figure,  which  was 
often  seen  moving  around  while  he  gazed  into 
every  comrade's  mess,  as  if  he  expected  to  find 
some  savory  morsel  outside  the  regimental  com 
missariat,  and  that  the  possessor  would  gladly 
divide  with  him. 

When  Peter  was  importuned  for  his  life's  his 
tory,  his  red  face  grew  redder,  as  his  mind  seemed 
to  be  busily  engaged  unearthing  long  buried 
memories.  At  last  he  looked  the  company  over 
complacently,  and  remarked — "I  spose  you  have 
all  had  a  girl,  and  mebbe  some  of  you  have  got 
one  now;  but  I  haint.  I  had  one  once,  though, 
and  she  was  a  picter.  I  was  a  huckleberryin'  one 
day,  and  it  was  aweful  hot,  and  1  went  to  the 
brook  to  git  a  drink,  and  my  girl,  with  two  more, 
came  there  too,  and  she  says, — says  she,  "Mr., 
wont  you  please  hand  me  a  drink  ?"  And  I  says, 
"Yessum,"  polite  like,  and  the  other  girls  laffed. 


120  THK   ADVKXTriJKS  OP 

I  bailed  her  a  drink  in  my  kittle,  and  sot  it  at  her 
feet,  and  she  took  a  little  tiny  dish  from  a  little 
i  iny  haversack,  hung  to  her  neck,  and  took  some 
water  from  the  kittle,  and  says, — says  she,  'Here's 
to  the  man  I  love,'  lookin'  straight  at  me.  Then 
they  all  laffed,  and  I  says, — 'Miss,  in«-l)be  that 
means  me;"  and  then  they  laffed  some  more,  and 
she  winked  at  me,  as  they  turned  to  git  into  a 
team  which  they  had  there,  and  I  was  watchin'  on 
her,  and  longin'  for  her,  for  she  was  a  beauty. 
Then  she  says, — says  she,  "Call  at  half  past  seven, 
tonight,  and  ask  Pa;"  and  then  they  drove  off, 
laffin'  and  shoutin',  and  I  never  knowed  where 
they  went  nor  who  they  was.  I  looked  at  every- 
budy  I  met  for  a  }rear,  but  I  never  seen  her  agin, 
so  I  'listed.  But,  if  I  had  a  found  her,  I  vow  to  Bets 
I  callated  to  buy  John  Horn's  farm."  "What 
were  you  going  to  buy  that  for?"  inquired  one  of 
the  boys.  "Well,"  said  Peter,  "I  was  going  to 
buy  that,  because  there  was  sich  a  good  place  on 
it  to  build  a  barn.  And  now  you  have  got  all 
that  is  worth  telling,  in  my  life,  except  that  them 
brigade  butchers,  that  allers  gives  me  liver,  air 
dod  rattwl  good  chaps. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Council  of  War. — Regiment    Embarks    at   Alexan 
dria.—  Scenes  at  Hampton  Rhodes.— Under 
Kire.— The    First   to  Kail.— A.  Dreary 
Night  on  Camp  Guard. 

JX  March,  1862,  a  council  of  war  was  held,  at 
Fairfax  Court  House,  by  General  McLellan 
and  the  commanders  of  the  four  army  corps,  then 
in  Washington,  namely:  McDowell,  Sumner, 
Heintzelman  and  Keys,  to  determine  the  most 
feasible  route  for  an  advance  on  Richmond.  After 
due  deliberation,  it  was  decided  to  adopt  the 
peninsular  route,  with  the  basis  of  operations  on 
the  York  river,  the  James  river  then  being  con 
trolled  by  rebel  gunboats.  On  the  28th  day  of 
the  above  month,  the  Eleventh  Maine  Regiment, 
now  in  the  Third  Brigade  of  Casey's  Division, 
broke  camp  and  marched  away,  enroute  for  Alex 
andria,  in  a  damp  snow  storm.  The  regiment 
camped  on  the  wet  ground  the  two  following 
nights,  and  then  embarked  on  board  the  steam 
ship,  Constitution,  which  steamed  away  down  the 
Potomac,  arriving  at  Fortress  Monroe  the  even 
ing  of  April  1st.  In  Hampton  Rhodes  was  seen 

121 


TIIK   ADVK.NTIHKS  OF 

the  little  Monitor  which,  a  few  days  previous,  had 
encountered  and  disabled  the  famous  ironclad, 
Merrimac. 

The  next  day  the  Eleventh  was  transferred  to 
the  steamer  Hero,  and  landed  at  Newport  News. 
In  steaming  across  the  bay,  the  men  got  a  view  <  >i 
the  masts  of  the  war  ships,  Cumberland  and  Con 
gress,  their  hulls  resting  quietly  on  the  sand, 
several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  tin- 
result  of  the  first  engagement  with  the  rebel  iron 
clad  Merrimac,  before  the  arrival  of  the  Monitor 
there.  When  within  half  a  mile  of  the  wharf,  a 
cloud  of  smoke  arose  from  a  rebel  gun  on  Sewell's 
Point,  five  miles  distant,  and  the  next  moment  a 
shower  of  spray  was  sent  high  in  air,  as  the  shell, 
falling  short  of  the  steamer,  some  four  hundred 
yards,  plunged  beneath  the  waters  of  the  bay. 

Alter  landing,  the  regiment  was  marched  out 
about  t  wo  miles,  where  it  went  into  camp.  From 
this  point,  the  rifles  of  the  sharpshooters  were 
plainly  heard,  on  the  advance  pits,  in  front  of 
Yorktown.  Ned  heard  these  guns  and  resolved  to 
be  the  first  in  the  regiment  to  witness  active 
operations.  With  Ned,  to  resolve,  was  to  do, 
consequently  within  one  hour, he  was  at  the  front. 

When  he  came  to  the  edge  of  the  woods,  border 
ing  a  plantation,  through  which  the  Inion 


NED  MIXTOX.  123 

breastworks  extended  on  one  side  of  Warwick 
Stream,  and  the  Rebel  works  on  the  other,  he  fell 
in  with  a  Lieutenant,  who  was  also  on  an 
independent  tour  of  inspection.  After  viewing  the 
works,  and  watching  the  Union  sharpshooters, 
who  lay  prostrate  on  their  faces,  occasionally 
shooting  through  narrow  rifle  embrasures,  they 
moved  forward,  down  a  gentle  slope,  across  the 
plantation,  toward  the  Union  pits.  They  had 
hardly  cleared  the  border  of  the  forest,  when  they 
encountered  a  concentrated  fire,  for  a  distance  of 
a  thousand  yards,  along  the  Confederate  front. 
Had  the  enemy  waited  until  they  had  advanced  a 
few  yards  from  the  woods,  there,  doubtless,  would 
have  been  two  Union  Soldiers  the  less  to  face  the 
battles  of  the  peninsular  campaign. 

If  Ned  and  the  Lieutenant  were  seeking  an 
opportunity  to  get  under  fire,  they  were  doubtless 
well  satisfied,  for,  some  twenty  or  thirty  bullets 
passed  within  a  few  inches  of  them,  or  spattered 
the  ground  in  front.  One  bullet  passed  through 
the  Lieutenant's  scabbard,  and  two  through  the 
legs  of  Ned's  trousers.  When  this  shower  of  lead 
came,  Ned  stopped  only  long  enough  to  seize  a 
bullet  that  had  flattened  on  the  gravel,  and  then, 
both,  made  a  speedy  retreat.  When  they  reached 
shelter,  they  noticed  a  wooded  ravine,  at  the  right, 


124  THE  ADVEXTTKE8  OF 

which  they  prudently  accepted  as  a  safer  route  to 
the  pits. 

On  entering  the  line,  the  sharpshooters 
cautioned  them  against  exposing  themselves  to 
the  fire  of  the  enemy.  A  house  had  been  burned, 
tliPiv,  and  the  chimney,  which  remained  standing, 
\\as  enclosed  in  the  line  of  the  pits.  About  six 
feet  from  the  ground  bricks  had  been  knocked  out, 
leaving  an  opening  the  size  of  a  man's  hand.  To 
impress  upon  the  new  comers  the  quickness  and 
accuracy  of  the  aim  of  the  enemy,  a  caj»  was 
placed  upon  a  ramrod  and  passed  across  the 
hole.  The  time  required,  to  perform  this  act,  was 
less  than  one  second,  yet,  in  that  short  time,  the 
cap  had  been  perforated  by  three  bullets.  This 
exhibition  of  rebel  marksmanship  was  an  effort  i\  «• 
warning  to  both  boys. 

While  Ned  and  the  Lieutenant  were  engaged  in 
talking  with  the  sharpshooters,  a  black  $mokey 
looking  bolloon  slowly  arose,  above  the  tree  tops, 
just  beyond  the  rebel  line,  not  more  than  one 
thousand  yards  distant.  It  remained  in  sight 
long  enough  to  note  that  the  car  contained  three 
men,  who,  with  glasses  in  hand,  were  making  a 
quick  view  of  the  Union  encampment.  Ere  one  of 
those  hundreds  of  Union  sharpshooters  became 
sufficiently  self  possessed  to  use  his  rifle  the 


NED  MINTOX.  125 

balloon  and  men  had  disappeared  among  the 
trees. 

On  the  28th  of  April  the  regiment  was  ordered 
out  beyond  the  picket  line,  to  make  a  reconnois- 
sance.  When  it  reached  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
the  rebels  fired  two  shells  from  guns  on  a  small 
fort,  in  front,  but  they  went  high  of  the  mark,  as 
was  indicated  by  the  limbs  severed  from  the  tree 
tops,  as  the  shells  crashed  onward,  far  to  the  rear. 
When  the  guns  on  the  fort  opened,  Company  A, 
was  quickly  deployed  and  advanced  as  skirmish 
ers,  with  Company  D,  as  a  reserve,  and  the  balance 
of  the  regiment  following  at  a  distance.  The 
skirmish  company  encountered  a  heavy  musketry 
fire,  in  a  piece  of  woods,  and  one  man,  private 
Andrew  C.  Mace,  was  killed,  the  first  in  the  regi 
ment  to  fall.  His  body  was  carried  to  the  camp, 
and  there  were  few  but  were  awe  stricken,  as  they 
looked  upon  the  waxen  face,  drained  of  blood, 
which  yesterday  was  blooming  with  health,  and 
animated  with  hope  and  courage. 

That  night  was  cold  and  misty,  and  the  men 
around  the  guard  tent  thought  a  fire  would  be 
most  comfortable,  and  do  no  harm,  since  they 
were  about  two  miles  away  from  the  enemy.  So 
they  gathered  some  pine  knots  and  started  one. 
But  before  the  blaze  had  much  exceeded  the  size  of 


THE  AWKXTritKM  OF 


that  of  a  tallow  candle,  the  officer  of  the  guard 
cainc  rushing  down  and  kicked  the  brands  ri^lii 
and  left,  and  sternly  rebuked  them  for  thus 
ti-inpt  ino-  the  enemy  to  open  his  batteries.  When 
the  officer  had  departed,  a  big  two  fisted  fellow, 
noted  for  his  strength  of  body,  rather  than  mind, 
brought  the  guards  back  to  good  humor,  again  l>y. 
blurting  out,  —  "Well,  if  we  can't  have  a  fire  wccaii 
have  a  song,  for  I  know  one  with  thirty  verses, 
and  each  verse  is  exactly  like  every  other  verse, 
except  the  last  one,  which  is  a  repetition  of  the 
first."  Then  he  roared,  rather  than  san<:.  tin- 
following  doggerel. 

Oh  !  the  horse  he  crossed  the  road, 

The  horse  he  crossed  the  road, 
And  the  reason  why  he  crossed  the  road, 

Was  because  he  crossed  the  road. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

TTtie     Evacuation.  —  On    to     Richmond.  —  Scenes     on. 

the    Route.  —  Borrowing     a      Bed.  —  Battle     of 

Williamstourg.—  Horrors    of    War.— 

How    Ned    Got    the    Bacon.. 


the  morning  of  the  4th  of  April,  it  was 
learned  that  General  Magruder  had  evac 
uated  Yorktown  the  previous  night.  The  Union 
army  was  soon  in  hot  pursuit;  a  part  by  trans 
ports,  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Pamunkey,  near 
White  House  Landing,  on  the  James,  to  intercept 
the  retreat,  and  the  remainder  up  the  peninsular 
to  Yorktown,  and  from  there  on  to  Williamsburg. 
The  first  night's  bivouac  was  most  uncomfortable 
for  blankets  and  overcoats  had  been  left  behind, 
to  enable  the  army  to  make  better  time.  How 
ever,  the  troops  were  not  able  to  make  more  than 
nine  miles,  the  first  day,  by  reason  of  the  blocked 
condition  of  the  roads.  Cavalry,  infantry  and 
artillery,  with  the  long  ambulance,  ammunition, 
and  comissary  trains,  were  striving  for  the  right 
of  way,  through  mud  made  doubly  deep  by  the 
trains  of  the  retreating  enemy. 

As  the  army  advanced,  nearly  all  non-combat 
ants,  old  men,  women  and  children,  fled  before  its 

127 


128  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

approach.  Tables  were  left  ready  set,  supplied 
with  such  food  as  hoe  cake  and  bacon,  which  was 
very  welcome  to  the  hungry  soldiers,  forced  on 
short  rations,  by  reason  of  delayed  supply  1  rains. 
which  had  surrendered  the  right-of-way  to  the 
ammunition  and  ambulance  trains,  then  in  more 
urgent  demand  at  the  front. 

When  night  shut  down,  officers  and  men  jilikr. 
without  overcoats  or  blankets,  were  sliivriin^ 
with  the  cold.  Ned  Minton  had  already  learned 
to  care  for  himself  wonderfully  well,  considering 
his  short  term  of  active  service.  On  this  night  he 
learned  of  a  fine  mansion,  half  a  mile  distant, 
which  belonged  to  a  noted  rebel  sympathizer,  and 
suggested  to  his  tent  mate,  Charlie  Benner,  that 
they  visit  the  place  in  search  of  comfort.  Charlie 
readily  assenting,  they  hastened  forward,  and 
soon  learned,  from  the  old  darkey  in  charge,  that 
his  master,  with  his  family,  had  left  for  Richmond 
when  the  news  had  reached  him  of  MrL. -Han's 
advance. 

The  darkey  was  rejoiced  to  see  "Yankee  sogers," 
but  said,  "You  uns  don't  look  a  bit  as  massa  said 
the  yankees  did.  Massa  tole  me  to  look  out  for 
all  dis  property,  but  God  bress  you,  honey,  how 
kin  I  ?  Dey's  already  took  massa's  pigs  and  hens 
and  geese,  and  I  specs  dey'll  took  de  furnishings 


NED  MINTON.  129 

next."  "What  is  there  in  the  house,"  asked  Ned. 
"Is  there  anything  to  sleep  on?"  "0  yes"— said 
the  darky,  "Dare's  massa's  bed.  If  any  Yankee 
soger  wants  to  sleep  dare,  why,  of  cose  he  kin. 
Here  am  de  keys." 

Ned  took  them,  and,  upon  unlocking  the  door, 
found  that  nothing  in  the  house,  apparently,  had 
been  disturbed.  He  then  told  the  negro  that  they 
were  not  allowed  to  sleep  out  at  night,  but  that 
he  would  borrow  the  feather  bed,  blankets  and 
pillows,  until  morning.  "God  bress  you, 
honey,  Massa  dinna  tole  me  to  len  de  furnishings, 
but  how  kin  I  hep  it?"  said  the  negro.  "We 
don't  expect  you  to  help  it,"  said  Ned,  as  he 
shouldered  the  tick,  and  Charlie  the  blankets  and 
pillows.  When  they  arrived  at  the  camp  ground, 
and  spread  the  tick  on  the  mud,  Ned's  reply,  on 
being  chided  for  the  theft,  "All's  fair  in  love 
and  war,"  was  somewhat  characteristic  of  the 
times. 

The  battle  of  Williamsburg  was  fought  by 
Hooker's  division  of  the  third  corps,  and  by  Han 
cock's  brigade  of  Smith's  division,  and  by  Peck's 
brigade  of  Couch's  division,  Longstreet  com 
manding  the  Confederate  defense.  It  was  a  bloody 
tight,  as  attested  by  the  heaps  of  dead  and 
wounded  in  front  of  Fort  Magruder,  and  in  the 


130  Tin:  Ai»vi..vnKi:s  OF 

woods  and  open  fields  beyond  the  fort.  K\vn 
from  the  ditches  of  the  fort,  which  contained 
about  eight  feet  of  muddy  water,  rebel  dead  were 
fished  out  in  considerable  numbers,  when  the 
action  was  over.  Many  of  the  rel>el  wounded  were 
left  behind  in  care  of  their  surgeons,  and  were  a 
sorry  sight.  Dead  bodies  lay  on  the  field  as  they 
had  fallen,  some  in  the  act  of  loading,  and  others 
of  firing  their  guns,  and  still  others  on  their  backs 
curled  in  tortuous  positions,  staring  stonily,  as 
if  their  last  moments  had  been  spent  in  agony.  A 
Union  battery,  in  attempting  to  get  into  posit  i<  >n, 
in  the  open  field,  in  front  of  Fort  Magruder,  8tmk 
fast  in  the  mud,  and  was  unable  to  make  the 
wheel.  There  were  thirty-six  horses,  on  those  guns, 
and  every  one  was  shot  dead,  in  the  harness, 
horribly  riddled  with  grape  and  shrapnel.  An 
Indian  sharpshooter,  on  the  Confederate  side,  who 
held  a  position  at  the  angle  of  a  Virginia  fence, 
and  had  succeeded  in  shooting  several  Union 
officers,  lay  there  torn  and  shattered,,  a  whole 
1  lattery  of  Union  guns  having  been  trained  upon 
him,  the  exploding  shells  slivering  the  fence  into 
splinters,  and  killing  him  instantly.  Such  scenes 
were  new  to  the  Eleventh,  and  however  hardened 
the  men  may  have  afterwards  become,  the  most 


NED  MINTON.  131 

indifferent  by  nature,  were  visibly  affected  by  these 
gruesome  sights. 

The  rank  and  file  of  the  Union  army  had  but  little 
love  for  those  remaining  in  their  homes,  who  were 
known  to  be  in  sympathy  with  the  Confederates. 
At  one  time  an  old  planter,  who  had  three  sons  in 
the  Confederate  service,  claimed  that  he  was  a 
Union -man,  anxious  to  take  the  oath  of  allegi 
ance.  As  soon  as  the  oath  was  administered,  he 
politely  asked  for  a  guard  to  be  posted  at  his 
stable,  where  he  had  several  hundred  pounds  of 
bacon-sides  in  store.  The  guard  was  furnished, 
although  few  believed  in  his  sincerity. 

When  this  became  known  to  certain  of  the 
privates  of  the  Eleventh  Maine,  they  applied  to 
Ned  Minton  to  assist  them  in  securing  a  share  of 
the  stores,  for  he  was  noted  for  his  skill  in  circum 
venting  those  whom  he  believed  to  be  playing  a 
double  game. 

Ned  first  ascertained  that  the  guards  were 
strangers  to  the  members  of  his  regiment ;  then  he 
consented  to  help  them,  and  went  about  the  busi 
ness  in  a  strictly  military  way.  He  formed  a 
guard  of  half  a  dozen  trusty  privates,  and 
inarched  them  to  the  stable,  where  he  informed 
the  Sergeant,  in  charge,  that  he  had  orders  to 
relieve  him,  and  that  his  regiment  was  in  line,  and 


132  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

about  to  march.  The  unsuspecting  officer  fell  his 
guard  into  line,  and  hastened  away,  to  find,  later, 
that  he  had  been  hoaxed ;  but  before  he  had  time 
to  return,  every  pound  of  bacon  had  been  taken 
away,  and  no  one,  in  authority,  ever  found  out 
who  the  offending  "Non  Com."  was,  or  where  he 
had  gone. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  Advance.— Promotions.— Battle  of  Kair  Oaks.— 

Losses. — Exciting  Scenes. — Railroad   Train 

Plunges  into  Chielcahominy.— Retreat.— 

Battle.— Ned's     Promotion.— Leader 

of  Scouts. — K"emales  Under  F"ire. — 

Talcen    Prisoner.— Escapes.— 

XleLellan's    Address. 

0N  May  9th  the  army  took  up  the  line  of  march, 
and  early  that  morning  passed  through 
Williamsburg,  about  two  miles  beyond  Magruder. 
Here  the  men  of  the  Eleventh  had  the  honor  of 
seeing  General  McLellan,  and  of  cheering  him,  the 
first  time,  since  landing  at  Newport  News.  The 
regiment  marched  ten  miles  further,  and  camped 
in  a  beautiful  wheat  field  until  the  thirteenth. 
There  was  plenty  of  running  water  in  a  ravine 
near  by,  which  served,  alike,  for  drinking  and 
washing  purposes.  Here  Colonel  Caldwell,  the 
commander,  was  promoted  to  Brigadier  General, 
and  left  the  regiment  to  assume  his  higher  com 
mand.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Plaisted  took  his 
place,  and  on  May  15th,  addressed  the  officers,  of 
each  grade,  telling  them  what  was  expected  of 
them. 

133 


134  Tin-:  AI>\  I:\TI  i;i:s  OF 

Within  the  next  four  days  an  advance  was 
made  to  Baltimore  Cross  Roads,  a  distance  of  six 
or  eight  miles,  and  on  the  twenty -third  the  army 
crossed  the  Chickahominy,  the  enemy  having  been 
di -lodged,  at  Seven  Pines,  on  the  seventeenth,  thus 
securing  a  strong  position.  The  regiment  was 
engaged  frequently,  in  skirmishes  with  the  enemy, 
unt  il  May  31st.  Then  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  was 
fought,  the  Eleventh  losing  more  than  half  its 
numbers  engaged  in  action. 

The  Confederates  made  a  furious  attack,  the 
following  morning,  but  were  repulsed  with  great 
slaughter.  Plaisted's  men  camped  on  the  battle 
ground,  a  few  days,  and  then  moved  to  the  rear, 
to  guard  the  railroad  bridge  across  the  Chicka 
hominy. 

Later,  Dick  Taylor  secured  a  position  across 
this  road,  between  the  Chickahominy  and  White 
House  Landing,  which  was  the  base  of  supplies 
for  the  Union  army.  Then  General  McLellan 
decided  to  retreat,  by  way  of  White  Oak  Swamp, 
to  Harrison's  Landing,  and  establish  a  new  base. 
Before  the  army  moved,  all  the  bridges  across  the 
(  hickahominy  were  destroj-ed,  by  his  order. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  Magruder  attacked  the 
forces  at  Savage  Station.  Following  the  attack, 
a  long  train  of  cars,  loaded  with  great  quantities 


NED  MLNTOX.  135 

of  shot,  shell  and  commissary  stores,  and  drawn 
by  two  powerful  locomotives,  was  sent  from  this 
place,  at  full  speed,  running  wild,  down  the  track, 
to  a  gap,  where,  a  few  da}'s  previously,  the  railroad 
bridge  had  been  burned.  The  men  of  the  Eleventh 
Maine,  in  position  at  the  bridge,  heard  the  train's 
approach.  The  din  of  the  combat  beyond  the 
Station,  was  nearly  drowned  by  the  clatter  of  the 
wheels,  the  hiss  of  steam  and  roaring  of  flames,  for 
the  forward  end  of  each  car  had  been  saturated 
with  oil,  and  set  on  fire,  before  the  train  was 
started  on  its  course  of  destruction.  It  was  gain 
ing  headway  every  moment,  and  the  guards  were 
anxiously  watching  its  approach  to  the  chasm, 
for  none  could  foretell  the  result. 

As  the  locomotives  approached,  a  rim  of  fire, 
caused  by  the  friction  made  by  the  excessive  speed 
of  the  train,  circled  the  wheels.  .The  men  had 
scarcely  time  to  comprehend  this,  ere  there  came 
a  thunderous  crash,  followed  by  a  terrific  explo 
sion.  Every  man  in  sight  of  the  train  threw  him 
self  flat  on  the  ground,  to  escape  the  flying 
fragments  from  the  exploding  boilers  and  shells, 
the  latter  going  off  in  quick  succession,  when 
reached  by  the  fire,  screeching  through  the  air, 
and  shivering  the  tree  tops. 

This  harsh  music  was  the  signal  for  the  Eleventh 


136  THK   ADVKNTI  IJKS   OF 

to  move  s\\  if t  1  Y  away,  halting, only,  when  the  rn.-i.l 
became  blocked,  until  it  had  passed  through 
White  Oak  Swamp,  and  gained  1  he  high  ground, 
beyond  the  bridge. 

At  daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  June  .'Jotli, 
exhausted  men  were  lying  fast  asleep,  in  fields  and 
woods  and  on  the  border  of  the  dusty  roads.  At 
sunrise  the3'  were  aroused,  and  the  divisions  of 
Smith  and  Richardson,  two  of  Sedgwick's  divi 
sions,  and  Neagle's  brigade,  were  formed  in 
defensive  positions,  having  been  assigned  the 
duty  of  holding  the  enemy  in  check,  while  tli»- 
balance  of  the  army  was  put  on  the  inarch,  for 
Malvern  Hill,  to  secure  a  more  defensible  position, 
under  cover  of  the  gunboats  in  the  James  River. 

.Jackson  was  in  the  swamp,  beyond  the  bridge; 
the  rattle  of  the  muskets,  of  the  skirmishers,  told 
of  this.  At  noon  he  opened  with  thirty  pieces  of 
artillery;  then  the  air  suddenly  became  filled  with 
shrieking  shells,  bursting  in  white  puffs  of  smoke, 
and  showering  down  a  storm  of  jagged  iron. 
This  caused  a  scene  of  dire  confusion,  for  the  field, 
where  the  shells  were  exploding,  was  crowded  with 
various  trains,  the  drivers  all  striving  to  gain  a 
passage  into  roads  already  blocked  or  crowded  to 
their  utmost  limit.  To  add  to  these  difficulties, 
the  teamsters  of  a  pontoon  train,  which  had  been 


NED   MINTON.  137 

drawn  up  by  the  roadside,  waiting  for  an  opening, 
unhitched  their  horses,  and,  mounting  them,  rode 
away  to  the  James. 

When  the  confusion  was  at  its  height,  the 
Eleventh  was  lying  .on  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
bordering  the  field.  Every  man  was  wide  awake 
and  self  possessed.  General  Neagle  rode  up,  and 
observing  their  coolness,  commanded, — "Fall  in, 
my  Yankee  squad,"  for  there  were  but  a  few  left  in 
the  regiment  now.  The  men  fell  in,  and  were  led 
across  the  field  to  a  position  to  support  Hazard's 
battery,  which  was  sweeping  the  bridge  with 
grape  and  Canister,  to  hold  Jackson  at  bay. 

As  they  watched  the  gunners  fall,  one  by  one, 
the  men  of  The  Eleventh  were  expecting  lively 
work,  ere  many  minutes,  for  this  was  the  only 
battery  then  employed  to  hold  in  check  thirty-five 
thousand  Confederates,  eager  to  crush  the  feeble 
support  left  to  hold  the  line.  But  just  then  a 
cheer  was  heard,  at  the  rear,  and  Pettit's  guns 
were  rushed  into  position  with  whip  and  spur. 
They  were  led  by  General  Neagle,  who  had  fore 
seen  the  fate  of  the  battery,  in  action,  and  had 
brought  these  guns  from  the  rear  just  in  season 
to  save  the  line  from  being  broken  and  routed. 

There  was  hard  fighting  along  the  line,  at  Glen- 
dale,  and  on  the  right  of  the  Charles  City  road ; 


138  THE   ADVKNTI  UE8  OF 

also  along  the  river  road,  and  a  cavalry  attack 
on  theQuaker  road.  Ned,  who  had  been  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant,  for  meritorious  conduct 
on  the  field,  was  selected  to  command  a  squad  of 
scouts  to  observe  and  report  the  movements  of 
the  enemy.  He  was  in  his  element  then,  and  was 
gaining  information  every  hour,  which  was  of 
great  value  to  his  superiors  and  the  Union  cause. 
At  one  time  he  held  a  position  in  the  top  story 
of  a  large  white  house,  on  the  hill,  nearly  in  range 
of  the  Union  and  Confederate  guns.  He  was 
sweeping  the  country  with  his  field  glass  to  find 
the  main  points  where  the  Confederates  were  con 
cent  rat  ing  their  forces,  when  shell  after  shell  cut 
keenly  through  the  building,  scattering  the  laths 
and  plast  cr.  and  knocking  down  a  chimney.  When 
the  chimney  fell,  he  heard  a  woman  scream  as 
though  in  pain  or  terror,  and  upon  investigating, 
found  a  middle  aged,  and  a  young  lady  in  the 
cellar,  t  n-nibling  with  great  fear.  Just  then  there 
was  a  lull  in  the  firing,  as  fresh  batteries  were 
being  run  into  position.  Ned  advised  them  to 
embrace  this  opportunity  to  get  to  a  place  of 
safety,  which  they  strove  to  do  by  running  with 
all  their  might  to  the  nearest  woods  where  Union 
officers  took  them  in  charge,  and  soon  afterwards 
sent  them  to  Harrison's  Landing  on  an  ambulance. 


NED  MINTON.  139 

The  troops,  which  guarded  the  rear,  repulsed 
the  enemy  many  times  during  the  day ;  and  at  ten 
o'clock,  that  night,  they  set  fire  to  the  pontoon 
boats,  left  upon  the  field,  and  after  spiking  the 
two  guns,  which  remained  to  give  the  parting 
shots,  they  also  took  up  the  retreat.  At  sunrise 
the  next  morning,  the  Eleventh,  with  other  forces, 
of  the  rear  guard,  reached  the  James,  several 
miles  above  Harrison's  Landing. 

Ned  Minton,  however,  remained  upon  the 
ground,  scouting  in  the  Confederate  lines,  until 
long  after  midnight,  where  he  gained  important 
information  regarding  the  position  and  contem 
plated  movements  of  the  enemy.  On  his  return  to 
the  spot  where  the  Union  lines  had  been  estab 
lished,  feeling  sure  that  the  enemy  were  now  left 
behind,  he  imprudently  entered  the  road,  lighted 
up  by  the  burning  boats.  He  knew  that  the 
enemy  were  likely  to  appear  anywhere,  yet  he  was 
greatly  surprised  on  being  confronted  by  a  dozen 
Rebel  scouts,  who  covered  him  with  their  muskets 
and  demanded  his  surrender. 

Had  there  been  half  an  opportunity,  to  escape, 
Ned  would  have  siezed  it,  but  he  saw  at  once  that 
the  conditions  were  all  against  him,  and  quietly 
handed  over  his  arms,  when  they  were  demanded. 
Luckily  he  was  not  wearing  the  straps  of  his  rank, 


140  THE  A  I)  V  i:\Ti  i;i;s  OF 

by  which  reason  he  had  no  difficulty  in  passing  for 
a  common  soldier  straggled  from  the  ranks. 
Accordingly,  the  Confederates  were  not  especially 
vigilant  concerning  his  retention,  and  all  being 
very  tired,  spread  their  blankets,  in  a  grove  of 
large  hard  pine  trees,  near  by,  and  camped  down 
for  the  night;  giving  Ned  a  position  between  two 
of  their  number.  Soon  all  were  slumbering  sound 
ly,  except  Ned,  who  was  never  more  wide  awake, 
although  he  prudently  feigned  sleep  for  an  hour 
or  more.  Tljen  he  sat  up,  and  as  the  two  men 
next  to  him  did  not  move,  he  gradually  worked 
from  under  the  blanket,  which  covered  himself  and 
the  two  men  next  him,  secured  a  musket  from  the 
stack,  near  by,  and  crept  away  into  a  tangled 
thicket  of  vines,  where  he  lay  down  to  rest,  for  it 
was  too  dark  to  travel.  Being  tired  and  sleepy, 
he  soon  fell  into  a  doze,  and  when  he  awoke,  later 
in  the  night,  the  moon  had  risen,  and  it  had 
become  light  enough  to  continue  his  journey.  Ac 
cordingly,  believing  in  the  old  proverb,  that 
"Discretion  is  the  better  part  of  valor,"  he  quietly 
stole  away,  toward  the  James  River;  this  time 
prudently  avoiding  the  roads,  and  relying  wholly 
on  the  moon  for  his  course  through  the  forest. 
When  daylight  appeared  in  the  east,  he  had  put 
several  miles  between  himself  and  his  captors. 


NED  MIXTOX.  141 

He  was  uncertain,  however,  about  his  locality, 
and  the  correct  course  to  pursue.  Seeing  a  negro 
cabin,  he  approached  it,  cautiously,  and  when 
within  a  few  rods,  secreted  himself  in  a  bunch  of 
laurel  bushes,  where  he  waited  until  a  full  blooded 
negro  appeared,  with  a  pail,  and  went  to  the 
ravine  to  tote  water  to  cook  the  morning  meal. 
Evidently  the  darky's  nerves  were  at  the  highest 
tension,  for  when  Ned,  who  had  followed  him, 
casually  asked  the  distance  to  Malvern  Hill,  he 
sprang  in  air,  as  if  electrified,  and  appeared  greatly 
alarmed.  Upon  recognizing  Ned  as  a  Union 
soldier,  however,  he  regained  his  composure  and 
replied— "I  reckon  it  am  about  two  looks,  if  yer  is 
gwine  by  de  Quaker  road,  but  if  yer  is  gwine  by 
dis  yer  way,  it  am  about  a  look  and  a  haf ;  but 
dare  is  no  road  dis  yer  way,  ober  de  hill."  "Do 
you  know  the  way  over  the  hill?"  Ned  inquired. 
"Lor-a-massy,  yes!  I's  been  dat  way  more  dan  a 
million  times  to  git  de  mail  for  massa."  "Well" 
said  Ned,  "I  want  you  to  go  and  show  me  the  way." 
"Oh  goddy  massa!  how  kin  I?  De  Yankees  am 
down  dare,  and  dey  shoot  me  sure.  De  big  guns 
bang,  bang,  all  day  yesserday,  arid  de  little  guns 
rattle  like  forty  million  mule  teams  on  de  bridge. 
Nosar!  I's  gwine  to  stay  right  yere."  "Do  you 
see  this  gun?"  asked  Ned.  "Oh  goddy— yes,  I  sees 


142  THE   ADVKNTlItl  s   OP 

it,"  answered  the  negro,  showing  signs  of 
fear.  "Well  then,  take  this  blanket  and  this  over 
coat  and  light  on,"  said  Ned.  '-\Vhat.  and  l»>av«- 
de  ole  woman  and  de  pickaninnies  alone  -in  de 
cabin?"  "Yes,"  said  Ned,  "no  one  will  trouble 
them." 

The  submissive  old  slave  did  as  he  was  told, 
although  it  was  plain  to  see  that  it  was  much 
against  his  will.  They  had  gone  but  about  a  mile 
when  musketry  was  heard  to  the  right.  These 
were  the  exchange  of  picket  shots,  which  foretold 
the  coming  battle,  which  raged  all  that  day. 
Shortly  afterward,  the  gunboats  on  Turkey  Creek, 
an  affluent  of  the  James,  began  throwing  shells 
a< TOSS  McLellan's  front  into  the  Confederate  lines, 
which  were  commanded  by  Dick  Taylor. 

N'-<1  and  the  slave  were  well  in  range.  Ned  was 
about  to  dismiss  his  pilot,  whom  he  no  longer 
needed,  when  a  shell  went  screeching  through  the 
air  very  near  them.  The  darky  dropped  the  coat 
and  blanket,  like  a  flash,  and  started  to  run ;  but, 
immediately,  another  came  and  exploded  directly 
in  his  front,  and  wounded  him  slight  lv.  Xed  then 
told  him  to  make  time  for  his  cabin ;  but  he  still 
stood  and  gazed  with  a  puzzled  look.  Then  he 
said — "I  don't  see  what  dey  is  shooting  at  us  for. 
By  golly,  we  aint  done  nobody  one  bressed  bit  of 


NED  MINTON.  143 

harm."  Then  he  bounded  away  into  the  forest 
with  the  speed  of  an  antelope. 

Malvern  Hill  is  an  elevated  plateau,  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  by  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  area, 
with  several  converging  roads  running  over  it. 
In  front  are  a  number  of  defensible  ravines,  and 
toward  the  north  and  east  the  ground  slopes 
gradually  to  the  forest,  allowing  a  clear  range  for 
artillery.  The  Confederates  were  now  making  their 
attack,  upon  this  place,  from  the  direction  of  White 
Oak  Swamp,  so  that  Ned  had  no  difficulty  in 
evading  the  battle  line.  He  took  his  course  down 
the  ravine,  and  later,  that  afternoon,  struck  the 
Union  reserves,  near  the  James. 

Ned  now  made  a  report,  at  head -quarters,  of  his 
observations  of  the  night  before.  By  inquiring,  he 
learned  that  his  regiment  was  halted  near  a  piece 
of  woods,  bordering  the  river.  When  he  found  it, 
the  tired  men  were  resting  as  best  they  could,  by 
leaning  against  the  trees,  with  haverlocks  on 
their  caps  and  rubber  blankets  over  their  shoul 
ders,  to  partially  shield  them  from  a  pouring  rain 
then  prevailing.  Ned  was  in  sore  need  of  rest  and 
sleep,  and  dropping  down  upon  the  moss-covered 
root  of  a  shady  tree,  was  soon  lost  in  slumber. 

The  next  day  the  regiment  was  moved  down  the 
river,  and  was  assigned  a  position  within  the 


144-  Tin:  AI»\  KNTIHI.S  OP 

fortified  works  which  were  made  in  the  form  of  a 
semi-circle,  at  Harrison's  Landing,  where  a  new 
1  >  i  s»»  had  been  established.  The  first  mail  received, 
since  before  the  retreat,  was  landed  here  from  the 
mail  steamer,  and  distributed  to  the  anxious 
soldiers. 

Soon  after  Ned  Minton  had  entered  the  service, 
he  was  informed  that  Herbert  Holmes  had  gone 
to  California  to  evade  the  draft,  which,  rumor8ai<], 
would  soon  be  made.  Ned  simply  remarked,  on 
hearing  this,  that  patriotism  was,  apparently,  a 
secondary  consideration,  with  Herb.  He,  therefore, 
was  somewhat  surprised  when  he  learned,  by  a 
letter,  just  received  from  his  old  friend,  Hiram 
Quagley,  that  Herbert  had  recently  returned 
home  and  enlisted,  and  was  then  in  a  Maine  Regi 
ment  in  active  service.  He  was  also  surprised, 
and  pleased,  as  well,  to  learn  that  Miss  Serlry  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  staunch  and  patriot 
ic  young  ladies  in  the  County.  She  had  manifested 
decided  Union  sentiments  from  the  very  first,  and 
had  been  an  active  leader  in  organizing  the  Indies 
in  her  own,  and  in  adjoining  towns,  for  effective 
work  in  writing  cheering  letters,  and  in  providing 
lint,  bandages,  and  suitable  clothing  for  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  Her  advice  and  counsel 


NED  MINTON.  145 

was  sought  by  all  the  patriotic  workers  in 
Machias  Valley. 

Speculation  was  rife  among  the  gossipers  in 
town,  many  expressing  a  belief  that  she  had  been 
the  cause  of  Herbert  Holmes'  return  to  do  honor 
able  service  for  his  country.  Whether  this  was 
true  or  not,  Hiram  wrote  she  had  been  heard  to 
say,  on  occasions,  that  no  military  shirk  need  ever 
seek  her  society,  for  all  such  were,  in  her  estima 
tion,  unworthy  the  attention  of  any  lady  who 
possessed  a  spark  of  loyalty  or  had  any  con 
ception  of  duty  and  allegiance  to  ones  country. 

When  Ned  had  finished  reading  this  letter  he 
had  many  conflicting  thoughts.  He  felt  that  he 

had  allowed  himself  to  harbor  a  sentiment  for 

• 

Miss  Seeley  stronger  than  friendship,  even  when 
he  believed  her  to  be  fickle  and  unworthy,  but 
now,  though  her  affections  might  be  centered  in 
another,  his  deepest  admiration  was  freely  be 
stowed  upon  her,  for  her  good  qualities,  which  he, 
in  his  blindness,  had  failed  to  see  until  now.  He 
walked  around  uneasily,  communing  with  his  own 
thoughts,  until  his  mind  was  awakened  to  a  sense 
of  duty  by  receiving  a  message  from  his  comman 
der;  then  he  assembled  his  scouts  and  departed 
to  fulfill  the  mission  assigned  him. 
He  moved  to  Evlington  Heights,  some  two 


146  THK    A  l»  VK. NTT  RES  OF 

miles  distant,  which  elevation  over-looked  tli»- 
ramps  ol'  the  Union  army  within  the  fortifications 
at  Harrison's  Landing.  Here  he  saw  enough  of 
the  situation  to  realize  that  if  this  position  was 
gained  by  the  enemy,  Harrison's  Landing,  as  a 
base,  would  become  intenable. 

He  was  about  to  return  and  report  this  fact, 
when  he  heard  the  clank  of  sabers  and  the  rattle 
of  artillery.  This  proved  to  be  Stewart's  cavalry, 
with  two  mountain  howitzers,  advancing  up  the 
slope,  from  the  Richmond  side  of  the  pinnacle. 
Ned  ordered  his  men  to  give  them  a  volley  tli«-n 
flee  for  the  cover  of  the  woods.  Stewart  replied 
by  firing  a  few  shots  into  the  thick  forest  and  a 
half  do/.«-n,  or  more,  into  the  Union  camp. 

Seeing  the  value  of  this  position  Stewart  then 
hurried  a  courrier  to  inform  Longstreet;  but  before 
that  officer  could  mass  his  troops,  Ned  had  re 
ported,  in  person,  and  piloted  a  force  of  infant  ry. 
which  routed  the  cavalry,  and  forthwith  proceeded 
to  fortify  the  position. 

With  those  heights  in  possession,  and  the  flanks 
of  the  army  resting  on  the  river  and  creeks,  to 
the  right  and  to  the  left,  and  the  guns  of  the  fleet 
to  assist,  the  Confederate  engineers  pronounced 
the  Harrison  Landing  position  practically  ini- 


NED  MINTON.  147 

pregnable;  accordingly  they  desisted  from  mak 
ing  further  effort  against  it. 

When  the  famous  seven  days  retreat  was  com 
pleted  and  the  army  secure  on  the  new  base,  Mc- 
Lellan  issued  the  following  address  to  the  troops : 
HEAD-QUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 
Camp  near  Harrison's  Landing,  Ya. 

Friday,  July  4,  1862. 
SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC:  * 

Your  achievements  of  the  last  ten  days  have 
illustrated  the  valor  and  endurance  of  the 
American  soldier.  Attacked  by  superior  forces, 
and  without  hope  of  reinforcements,  you  have 
succeeded  in  changing  your  base  of  operations,  by 
a  flank  movement,  always  regarded  as  the  most 
hazardous  of  military  experiments.  You  have 
saved  all  your  material,  all  your  trains,  and  all 
your  guns,  except  a  few  lost  in  battle,  and  taken 
in  return  guns  and  colors  from  the  enemj'.  Upon 
your  march  you  have  been  assailed,  day  after  day, 
with  desperate  fury,  by  men  of  the  same  race  and 
nation,  skillfully  massed  and  led.  Under  every 
disadvantage  of  numbers,  and  necessarily  of 
position  also,  you  have  in  every  conflict  beaten 
back  your  foes  with  enormous  slaughter.  Your 
conduct  ranks  you  among  the  celebrated  armies 
of  history.  No  one  will  now  qnestion  but  each  of 


14S  THE   AIiVKXTriJKS   nj 

yon  may  always  with  j»rid«-  say.  I  In-long  to  th*> 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

You  have  reached  the  new  base,  complete  in 
organization,  and  unimpaired  in  spirit.  The 
enemy  may  at  any  time  attack  you.  We  are  pre 
pared  to  meet  them.  I  ha  vei>ersonally  established 
your  lines.  Let  them  come  and  we  will  convert 
thfir  repulse  into  a  final  defeat. 

Your  Government  is  strengthening  you  with  the 
resources  of  a  great  people.  On  this  our  Nation's 
birthday,  we  declare  to  our  foes,  who  are  rebels 
against  the  best  interests  of  mankind,  that  this 
army  shall  enter  the  Capitol  of  the  so-called  Con 
federacy;  that  our  national  constitution  shall 
prevail,  and  that  the  Union,  which  can  alone 
insure  internal  peace  and  external  security 
to  each  state,  must  and  shall  be  preserved,  cost 
what  it  may  in  time,  treasure  and  blood. 

(Signed,)  GEO.  B.  MCLELLAN. 


CHAPTER  XVMI. 


Scenes  at  Harrison's  Landing.—  Scouting  and. 

aging.  —  Laughable     Incidents.  —  Retreat    to 

YorVcto-wn.—  Raids  in  the  Interior.  — 

Ned's  Purchase.—  On  Southern 

Coast.  —  Loss  of  Monitor.  —  In 

cidents  at  F^ernandina. 


the  date  of  McLellan's  address  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  to  the  departure  of  the 
troops  for  Yorktown,  on  Aug.  16th,  the  lives  of 
the  soldiers  were,  for  the  most  part,  uneventful. 
There  was  but  one  alarm  ;  on  the  morning  of  Aug. 
1st,  when  the  enemy  appeared  with  a  light 
battery,  on  a  hill  across  the  river,  and  riddled 
with  shells  the  upper  works  of  a  couple  of 
steamers,  at  the  wharf,  during  an  electrical 
tempest. 

The  gunboats  opened  upon  the  battery,  and  as 
soon  as  a  correct  range  was  obtained,  the  scout 
ing  party  was  forced  to  retreat  to  the  forest  with 
their  guns.  The  hill  was  afterward  occupied  and 
fortified  by  the  Union  forces  as  a  protective 
measure  to  the  landing. 

Ned  Minton,  with  his  scouts,  was  frequently 
149 


l".l>  THK   ADVKXTrilKS   OF 

ordered  into  the  enemy's  country  on  tonrs  of 
observation  and  on  foragingexpiMlitions.  On  one 
occasion,  when  ordered  out,  he  moved  up  the  riv««r 
far  enough  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  tlie  stars  and 
liars,  flying  on  the  garrison  flag-staff  at  City 
Point.  Seeing  no  Confederate  soldiers  along  the 
riv«>r  or  in  the  forest,  he  '"borrowed"  a  boat,  and 
made  a  landing  on  a  small  island,  in  the  James 
River,  where  there  was  a  planter's  residence  and 
some  slave  tenements. 

When  Ned  got  near  enough  to  extend  greetings 
to  the  inmates  he  found  the  place  defended  by  a 
sharp  tongued  old  lady,  and  her  black  eyed 
daughter,  who  was  nearly  as  beligerent  as  her 
mother.  For  aught  Ned  knows,  they  yet  hold  the 
position  and  are  still  talking;  but,  despite 
their  volley  of  words,  Ned's  party  helped  them 
selves  to  flour,  fowl,  tobacco,  and  other  things, 
which  they  deemed  they  could,  in  any  way.  make 
useful.  The  boat  was  loaded  to  the  water's  edge. 
Noticing  a  red  cloth  hanging  from  an  upper  story 
window.  Ned  suspected  it  to  be  a  signal  which 
boded  him  no  good,  and  wisely  pulled  a\\ .,  \ . 

Some  of  the  chickens  were  taken  into  camp  alive 
in  view  of  making  them  useful  as  egg  producers, 
but  this  attempt  was  a  failure,  as  one  morning 
they  were  found  missing,  and  caivful  search  failed 


\ED  MIXTON.  151 

to  discover  anything  but  the  smell  of  savory 
odors,  from  dishes  on  sundry  camp  fires,  presided 
over  by  guards  of  the  previous  night.  This  con 
dition  led  to  a  consultation,  by  others  in  the 
regiment  who  had  living  chickens,  and  the  result 
was  a  general  beheading  of  the  remainder,  "to 
save  their  lives,"  as  declared  by  private  Pat 
Doherty.  On  evacuating  Harrison's  Landing, 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  marched  down  the 
Peninsular,  and  went  into  camp  Aug.  20th  at 
Yorktown,  near  the  spot  where  Cornwallis  surren 
dered  his  sword  to  the  .American  forces.  The 
duties  here  were  varied.  On  October  9th  the 
cavalr3r  pickets  near  Williamsburg  were  attacked 
and  driven  in,  and  all  the  forces  in  the  vicinity 
were  rushed  into  the  fort,  anticipating  the  general 
attack  that  never  came. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  nine  companies  of  the 
regiment  embarked  on  the  gunboats,  Mahaska 
and  Putnam,  and  the  tug  boat  May  Queen,  and 
entered  Mojack  Bay ;  then  proceeded  up  the  East 
River  and  made  a  landing  in  Mathews  County,  Va. 
Here  the  forces  were  divided  and  sent  in  various 
directions,  the  squads  destroying  large  quantities 
of  salt  found  at  different  points,  and  breaking  the 
kettles  in  which  it  had  been  boiled. 

On   December   llth,    the  regiment  with  other 


Till:   Al>\  KNTt  KKS  OP 

troops  crossed  the  York  river  to  (lloucester  Point, 
and  took  up  the  line  of  march  t  <  >  <  lloucester  Court 
House,  several  miles  in  the  interior.  From  this 
point  small  foraging  parties  were  sent  in  various 
directions,  capturing  herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  mules 
and  horses,  and  thousands  of  pounds  of  poultry. 
Ned  and  his  scouts  took  part  in  these  raids.  At 
one  plantation  Ned  took  a  valuable  horse,  which 
he  intended  for  his  own  use.  The  mistress  of  the 
place  appeared  so  gracious  and  full  of  sympathy 
for  the  I'liion  cause,  that  Ned  became  chivalrous 
ami  tendered  har  a  good  sum  in  green  backs,  as 
recompense  for  her  horse.  When  she  saw  the  bills, 
she  scornfully  refused  them,  saying  that  she  <li<l 
not  care  to  let  her  horse  go  for  that  kind  of 
trash.  Ned  uou  saw  the  true  value  of  her  loyalty. 
He  then  offered  her  some  advertising  bills,  which 
had  been  put  in  circulation  by  a  New  York  firm, 
in  imitation  of  Confederate  scrip.  These  she 
cheerfully  accepted,  and,  the  sum  being  larger 
than  she  had  expected,  she  presented  him  with  a 
pair  of  soft  woolen  socks,  which,  she  said,  were 
knit  by  her  daughter  Jenny,  a  blushing  maiden  of 
eighteen  summers,  whom  she  introduced.  Ned 
greeted  her  politely,  and  gained  her  good  will  by 
promising  to  hold  her  in  grateful  remembrance. 
and  l>y  expressing  the  hope  of  renewing  their 


NED  MIXTON.  153 

acquaintance  at  the  close  of  the  cruel  war.  When 
he  did  think  of  her,  in  after  years,  he  tried  to 
imagine  her  feelings  towards  him  after  learning 
the  true  value  of  her  "wad." 

On  December  28th,  1862,  the  Eleventh  Maine, 
with  other  forces,  severed  its  connection  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  boarded  the  ocean 
steamer,  Cahawba,  which  sailed  under  sealed 
orders  for  Beaufort,  N.  C.  When  in  the  vicinitv  of 

v 

Hatteras,  a  heavy*  storm  arose.  The  seas  ran 
high,  sweeping  the  deck  and  causing  the  ship, 
Monticello,  in  tow  of  the  Cahawba,  to  part  her 
hawser.  She  was  thereby  thrown  upon  her  own 
resources,  loaded  down  as  she  was  with  horses, 
artillery,  supplies  and  men.  The  fleet  sustained  a 
great  deal  of  damage,  the  greatest  disaster  being 
the  loss  of  the  famous  Monitor  in  tow  of  the 
Rhode  Island.  She  went  down  before  morning, 
and  some  of  her  brave  men  were  swept  away  be 
fore  they  could  be  transferred  from  her  deck,  to 
that  of  her  escort. 

On  New  Years  morning  1863,  the  boat  steamed 
to  the  wharf  at  Morehead  City,  N.  C.,  where  the 
troops  took  up  the  line  of  inarch  for  Carolina  City, 
three  miles  distant.  This  city  consisted  of  three 
houses,  a  barn,  a  railroad  depot  and  the  ruins  of 
a  hotel.  Troops  were  concentrated  here  in  view 


l."»4  TIIK   ADVKNTlItKS  OF 

of  making  an  attack  upon  Charleston.  S.  C. 
The  regiment  was  encamped  l>y  tin*  sea.  when-  its 
members  were  recupt-rat  ing  and  drilling  unt  il  .Jan 
uary  29th.,  when  it  re-embarked  on  the  Cahawha 
and  made  landings  at  Hilton  Head,  St.  Helena 
Island  and  Beaufort,  for  various  purposes.  After 
another  month  spent  in  drilling,  building  wharves 
and  organizing  '"contrabands,"  it  again  went 
on  board  the  samesteamer  and  ran  down  the  Caro- 
lina  coast  to  assist  the  fleet  in  the  planned  attack 
upon  Charleston.  But  after  a  lively  bombard 
ment,  in  which  the  fleet  received  more  damage 
than  it  gave,  the  effort  against  the  city  was  sus 
pended  for  a  time. 

All  the  forces  intended  for  the  storming  party 
were  sent  to  Beaufort,  from  whence  the  llth 
sailed  on  the  steamer  Boston  for  Florida,  landing 
at  Fernandina  January  r>th.  Three  companies  were 
sent  to  garrison  Fort  Clinch,  Jour  miles  distant, 
its  guns  commanding  the  harbor,  Cumberland 
Sound  and  the  approaches  by  land. 

That  part  of  the  regiment,  at  Fernandina,  was 
kept  busily  employed  organizing  and  drilling 
freed  men,  and  strengthening  the  defences.  Dur 
ing  the  time  it  was  there,  a  large  fort  was  con 
structed  by  colored  conscripts,  working  under  t In 
direction  of  Sergeant  Gross,  the  regimental  color 


NED  MINTON.  155 

bearer,  who  was  highly  complimented  for  his  skill 
by  the  chief  engineer,  who  inspected  the  completed 
work. 

At  the  fort,  after  the  duties  of  learning  to 
handle  the  big  guns,  had  been  performed,  the  men 
indulged  in  such  sport  as  catching  mullet  and 
monster  sea  turtle,  and  labored  in  a  vain  effort  to 
subdue  alligators,  rattlers,  fleas  and  mosquitoes, 
a  species  of  the  latter,  known  among  the  natives 
as  galley  nippers,  and  among  the  soldiers  as  gal- 
liant  nippers,  far  exceeded  in  size,  voracity,  and 
song  power  any  other  depterous  insect  known  to 
man. 

At  best,  the  duties  in  Florida  were  out  of  har 
mony  with  the  spirit  of  the  boys  of  the  Eleventh, 
who  went  south  to  fight  the  life  out  of  the  rebell 
ion  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  then  return  to  the 
peaceful  pursuits,  they  had  for  the  time,  suspended. 
Therefore  the  announcement  that  the  regiment 
had  received  orders  to  report  for  service  at  Morris 
Island,  S.  C.,  and  that  the  Ninety-seventh  Penn 
sylvania  haM  already  arrived  to  relieve  it,  was 
hailed  with  joy.  A  detachment  of  forty,  men  from 
the  Eleventh,  under  Lieutenant  Sellmer,  was  al 
ready  in  service  on  the  Island,  and  had  given  the 
City  of  Charleston  its  first  baptism  of  iron  fired 
from  the  famous  Swamp  Angel  Battery. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Morrla   Island.—  Swamp  An^el   Battery.—  An  April 
Fool.  —  Sad  Incidents. 


the  afternoon  of  October  6th,  1863,  the 
Eleventh  Maine  left  on  the  steamer,  Boston, 
and  before  night  was  far  out  at  sea.  The  next 
morning  the  boat  passed  Hilton  Head  and  ran 
into  Stono  Inlet,  and  the  troops  made  a  landing 
on  Folly  Island  late  that  afternoon.  At  ten 
o'clock,  next  day,  they  crossed  to  Morris  Island  on 
a  pontoon  bridge. 

Morris  Island  is  a  strip  of  white  sand  about 
four  miles  in  length,  running  nearly  north  and 
south,  against  which  beat  fierce  winds  and  the 
waves  of  the  Atlantic,  frequently  changing  its 
general  appearance  by  piling  its  sands  in  ever 
changing  drifts  several  feet  in  height.  Its  broad 
southerly  end,  adjacent  to  Folly  and  Black 
Islands  was  well  out  of  range  of  the  guns  from 
Sullivan  and  James  Islands,  and  served  as  a 
camping  ground  for  the  troops,  not  actively  en 
gaged  at  the  front,  and  as  head-quarters  for 
supplies.  The  upper  part  of  the  island  is  narrow. 

156 


NED  MIXTOX.     '  157 

* 

its  width  being  nearly  covered  by  Fort  Wagner, 
beyond  which  it  turns  toward  the  city  of  Charles 
ton  in  a  hooked  projection,  known  as  Cummings 
Point.  Upon  this  point  were  Forts  Gregg  and 
Chatfield  and  numerous  unnamed  batteries,  in 
which,  were  mounted  both  mortar  and  parrott 
guns.  From  Fort  Gregg  it  was  thirteen  hundred 
yards  to  Sumpter,  which  was  surrounded  by  the 
waters  of  the  bay.  Beyond  Sumpter  were  forts 
Moultry  and  Beauregard,  on  Sullivans  Island, 
about  half  a  mile  distant.  From  Cummings 
Point  the  spires  of  the  city  of  Charleston  were 
plainly  seen  with  the  naked  eye. 

On  the  border  of  a  creek  flowing  between  Morris 
and  Black  Islands  rested  the  remains  of  a  floating 
battery,  built  by  the  Confederates  early  in  the 
war.  It  proved  to  be  of  little  service  to  them, 
however,  as  a  fleet  or  fort  destroyer;  but  later,  it 
did  good  service  for  both  sides  as  a  night  station 
for  the  advance  picket  posts,  the  force  arriving 
first,  by  boat,  taking  quiet  and  undisputed  pos 
session. 

Farther  on,  about  half  a  mile  from  Black  Island, 
was  the  famous  Swamp  Angel  Battery,  built  on 
the  marsh  bordering  a  creek.  The  battery  was 
reached  by  boat  from  Light  House  Inlet,  and  on 
foot  by  a  single  plank  walk  about  half  a  mile 


1  58  THI:  ADVKXTI-KKS  OF 

long,  beginning  at  Black  Island.  The  ] thinks 
were  supported  above  high  water  mark.  l>y  frail 
tressles  driven  into  the  mud.  At  high  tide  1  In- 
entire  marsh,  between  the  battery  and  Black 
Island,  was  covered  with  water,  only  the  top  of 
the  tall  marsh  grass  being  visible.  This  battery 
was  built  in  view  of  shelling  Charleston,  its  posi 
tion  being  the  nearest  point  to  the  city  then  held 
by  the  Union  forces,  the  Confederates  being  in 
possession  of  the  upper  end  of  Morris  Island,  with 
both  Forts  Wagner  and  Greg^. 

The  Swamp  Angel  Battery  was  about  eight 
thousand  yards  distant  from  St.  Michaels  Church, 
at  which  the  first  shell  was  directed,  the  gun  being 
ranged  by  compass,  the  first  instance  on  record  of 
the  range  of  an  object  being  thus  obtained. 
From  the  position  of  the  battery  on  the  low 
marsh,  the  city  was  invisible,  James  Island  with 
its  woods  and  fortifications  completely  hiding  it 
from  view. 

There  was  but  one  gun  mounted  on  the  battery. 
a  two  hundred  pound  Parrott  rifle.  Its  weight 
was  sixteen  thousand  three  hundred  pounds; 
weight  of  carriage  and  chassis,  eight  thousand 
pounds;  diameter  of  bore,  eight  inches;  weight  of 
shot,  two  hundred  pounds;  weight  of  shell,  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds;  service  charge, 


NED  MIXTON.  159 

sixteen  pounds  of  powder;  charge  used,  twenty 
pounds. 

The  battery  consisted  of  an  epaulment  made  of 
sand  bags,  supported  by  a  grillage  of  round  logs, 
crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  in  two  layers, 
resting  on  the  marsh.  The  rectangular  opening- 
was  just  large  enough  to  receive  the  platform  of 
the  gun,  its  foundation  being  layers  of  marsh 
grass,  canvas  and  sand,  topped  with  hard  pin? 
planks. 

When  the  battery  was  completed,  the  gun 
mounted,  and  a  few  rounds  of  ammunition  stored 
in  the  little  magazine,  barely  large  enough  to 
admit  one  man,  J.  W.  Turner,  Chief  of  Artillery, 
gave  instructions  to  Lieutenant  Sellmer,  of  the 
Eleventh  Maine,  to  take  charge,  with  his  detach 
ment,  and  to  prepare  to  open  upon  the  city  at  ten 
o'clock  that  night. 

Lieutenant  Sellmer  went  to  the  battery  that 
afternoon,  making  his  way  over  the  plank  walk. 
He  was  fired  upon  by  the  guns  of  Fort  Simpkins, 
on  James  Island,  about  one  thousand  yards  dis 
tant,  but  escaped  injury.  To  avoid  accident  to 
the  boats,  the  cartridges,  containing  twenty 
pounds  of  powder  each,  were  carried  to  the 
battery  after  dark,  in  woolen  bags,  over  the 
plank  walk,  on  the  shoulders  of  the  men. 


K.I)  Till:   ADVKNTIHKS   OF 

At  half  past  one  o'clock,  on  August  22nd,  1803, 
the  first  shell  sped  over  James'  Island  into  the 
city.  After  the  second  shot,  the  bells  commenced 
to  rinjr  to  call  out  the  fire  department,  for  the 
Government  Me  lical  Purveyor's  store-house  had 
been  set  on  fire.  The  Confederates  replied  \\iih 
but  two  ten  inch  sea-coast,  mortars  in  Fort  John 
son,  on  .1  anifs'  Island,  the  other  batteries  evi 
dently  not  being  garrisoned  at  night. 

At  every  shot  fired,  from  the  Swamp  Angel  bat 
tery,  the  whole  structure  swayed  to  and  fro,  mov 
ing  the  pintle-block  which  held  the  gun-carriage  in 
its  place,Ja  little  at  each  shot,  to  the  sixteenth.  It 
then  being  displaced  three  feet,  it  became  neces 
sary  to  cease  firing,  lest  the  gun  be  completely 
dismounted. 

The  next  morning  Chief  Engineer,  Colonel 
Edward  W.  Serrell,  who  inspected  the  damage, 
asked  for  two  days  to  make  the  necessary  re 
pairs.  In  the  mean  time  a  steamer,  under  flag  of 
truce,  came  from  the  city  with  officials  who  pro 
tested  against  the  bombardment,  until  due  not  ire 
and  time  to  leave  had  been  given  non-combat 
ants.  Accordingly  General  Gilmore  gave  them 
until  ten  o'clock  the  following  night,  assuring 
them  that  the  firing  would  be  resumed  at  that 
hour. 


NED  MINTOX.  161 

On  the  following  morning  the  enemy  opened 
with  every  gun  and  mortar  they  could  bring  to 
bear  upon  the  gun  or  its  approaches,  with  the 
evident  intention  of  making  the  resumption  of 
firing  an  impossiblity.  At  noon,  while  the  Con 
federate  gunners  were  at  dinner,  Lieutenant 
Selmer  and  six  men,  of  the  detachment,  went  over 
the  plank  walk  to  the  battery  to  prepare  the 
amunition.  After  dinner  the  Confederate  firing 
was  resumed,  and  kept  up  until  sunset,  when  it 
again  ceased.  Then  Lieutenant  Foster  and  ten 
men  of  the  detachment,  bearing  powder  as  before, 
made  the  passage  to  the  battery  by  the  same 
route  as  those  at  noon  time.  After  dark  firing 
was  resumed,  by  the  Confederates,  and  kept  up 
without  intermission  until  morning. 

For  four  hours,  from  dark  until  ten  o'clock,  the 
time  appointed  to  open  fire,  the  little  squad  of 
gunners  were  forced  to  sit  idly  by  and  watch  the 
threatening  mortar  shells  mounting  a  mile  high,  in 
air,  the  burning  fuse  scintillating  and  twinkling 
through  the  darkness,  the  air  whistling  with  ever 
increasing  force,  by  contact  with  the  fuse-plug  and 
shell  ears,  as  the  shells  descended  with  ever  in 
creasing  speed,  accompanied  with  that  "jee  whis," 
"jee  whis"  sound  so  familiar  to  the  besiegers.  At 
a  few  moments  before  ten  o'clock,  the  gun  was 


TIIK    ADVKNTI  1M.S   o|' 

loaded,  and  with  lanyard  in  hand,  a  man  stood 
ready  to  pull,  when  the  command  fire  was  giv«-n, 
just  as  th»-  hands  of  the  watch  marked  the  hour 
designated  by  the  truce.  Then  the  seven t rent h 
shell  from  the  Swamp  Angel  sped  on  its  course 
with  a  humming  sound  plainly  heard,  for  the  first 
two  miles,  by  the  men  in  the  battery. 

Hereupon  the  enemy  redoubled  their  fire  from 
all  their  batteries,  as  if  enraged  at  their  inability 
to  stop  the  bombardment.  There  was  now  not 
an  instant  when  there  was  not  a  deadly  messenger 
either  on  its  way  or  exploding  in  close  proximity 
to  the  bat  ti-ry.  After  the  sixth  shot,  the  gunner 
reported  that  he  was  unable  to  enter  the  priming- 
wire  in  the  vent.  An  examination  showed  that 
the  gun  was  parting  under  the  wrought  iron  band 
at  the  breech,  square  across,  opposite  the  vent. 
The  firing  was  continued,  however,  until  the 
twentieth  round,  when  the  gun  burst.  The  breech, 
leaving  its  jacket  at  the  vent,  was  blown  through 
the  chassis  and  scaffolding  and  plunged  into  the 
mud,  at  the  rear,  while  the  muzzle-end  pitched  for 
ward,  upon  the  epaulment  clear  of  the  carriage. 
It  had  died  like  a  good  soldier,  face  to  the  foe;  and 
its  last  shot  had  sped  as  smoothly  to  the  city  as 
any  tired  that  night. 

The   injuries   from    this   accident    were   slight. 


NED  MINTOX.  163 

Lieutenant  Sellmer's  ear  was  injured  and  his  hair 
and  eyebrows  singed.  One  gunner  had  the 
knuckles  of  his  right  hand  cut  by  a  flying  bolt, 
from  the  carriage,  another  was  knocked  into  the 
mud  at  the  rear  of  the  gun,  and  still  a  third 
gunner  was  somewhat  injured. 

The  firing  on  the  city  was  now  necessarily 
stopped,  until  after  the  capture  of  the  forts  on 
the  upper  end  of  Morris  Island ;  then  it  was 
resumed  from  a  one  hundred  pound  parrott  gun 
on  Fort  Gregg,  at  Cummings  Point,  and  occa 
sionally,  from  a  battery  of  thirty  two  pound 
Parrotts  in  a  work  between  Gregg  and  Wagner. 

During  the  siege  of  Charleston  the  soldiers  of 
the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies  frequently 
found  means  to  mitigate  the  conditions  of  cruel 
warfare  by  playing  jokes  upon  one  another,  which 
were  well  understood,  though  the  perpetrators 
were  miles  apart. 

On  April  1st,  1863,  when  stationed  at  Black 
Island,  several  Union  soldiers  were  talking  in  a 
group,  in  full  view  of  a  Confederate  Battery, 
about  a  mile  distant.  A  Confederate  gunner  who, 
evidently,  was  in  a  playful  mood,  sent  a  shell  fly 
ing  over  them.  It  came  so  unexpectedly,  that 
none  attempted  to  find  cover,  but  the  shot  put 
them  on  the  watch,  and  when  the  gun  flashed 


164  Tin:  AUVKNTIKES  OF 

forth  a  second  time,  they  all  fled  to  places  of 
safety;  but  as  no  shell  came  over,  it  gradually 
dawned  upon  them  that  the  joking  gunner  had 
successfully  played  an  April  fool  upon  them. 

If  there  are  pleasing  incidents  in  army  life,  there 
are  sad  ones  also.  On  the  eighth  day  of  December 
the  wind  being  heavy,  cold  and  variable,  thereby 
making  the  course  of  the  shells  UIIC»M -tain,  firing 
was  suspended  at  the  mortar  batteries.  A  half 
dozen  of  the  gunners  fled  to  the  splinter  proof, 
leading  to  the  magazine,  to  escape  from  tin- 
piercing  wind.  They  had  been  there  but  a  short 
time  when  a  ten  inch  shell,  fired  from  Fort 
Moultrie,  came  crashing  through,  and  exploded  in 
the  alley,  barely  two  feet  in  width.  Corporal 
Horace  F.  Albee,  of  Company  C.  was  instantly 
killed,  and  private  Bradley  L.  Kimball  was  mor 
tally  wounded,  and  four  other  men  of  the  regi 
ment  more  or  less  injured. 

There  were  about  fifty  barrels  of  powder  in  the 
magazine,  but  fortunately  the  explosion  plugged 
the  door  way  with  sand,  effectually  excluding  the 
sparks.  The  splinter  proof  was  thrown  down  by 
the  explosion,  burying  all  the  men  within  the 
passage.  Those  of  the  gun  crew  outside  stood 
spell  bound,  for  a  moment,  anxiously  expecting 
that  the  magazine  would  blow  up,  but  upon  see- 


NED  MINTON.  165 

ing  that  this  danger  was  past,  they  caught  up 
their  shovels  and  worked  with  a  will,  until  both 
the  living  and  the  dead  were  unburied. 

On  December  17th,  1863,  another  unpleasant 
sight,  which  all  the  soldiers  off  duty  on  the  Island 
were  forced  to  witness,  was  the  execution  of  a 
deserter.  This  man,  a  member  of  the  Third  New 
Hampshire,  was  said  to  be  a  bounty  jumper,  who 
first  deserted  from  the  Confederate  Army  and  made 
his  way  north  to  enlist  in  the  Union  Army,  for 
money.  Be  that  as  it  may,  he  had  in  his  posses 
sion  a  large  roll  of  "green-backs,"  and  was 
caught  while  attempting  to  desert  to  the  enemy. 

Sitting  on  the  head  of  the  coffin  intended  for  his 
remains,  and  nonchalantly  smoking  a  cigar,  he 
rode  to  the  beach,  attended  by  an  escort,  and 
drum  corps  beating  the  dead  march.  Here  he 
dismounted  and,  kneeling  beside  his  coffin,  was 
shot  dead,  in  the  presence  of  thousands  of  his 
comrades,  as  an  example  to  deter  others  from 
attempting  to  perform  a  similar  act. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Spy      and      Scout.— A.      Bold      Theft.— Hauling      Big 

Team.— Destruction  of  Blockade  Runner.— 

Intelligent     Horse*. 

^OOX  after  his  arrival  at  Morris  Island,  Ned 
Mint  on  became  associated  with  the  secret 
service  and  did  duty,  in  various  lines,  whenever 
called  upon.  On  every  dark  and  stormy  night, 
with  his  detachment,  he  was  in  his  boat  and  left 
the  shore  in  company  with  the  regular  boat 
pickets.  It  was  said,  that  stowed  away  in  the 
stern  of  his  boat,  he  carried  a  Confederate 
suit,  ornamented  with  straps  indicating  the  rank 
of  Major  in  that  army,  yet  few  knew  what  use  he 
made  of  it,  for  the  doings  of  Ned  and  his  men  were 
known  only  to  those  in  authority. 

On  one  occasion  Ned  and  crew  landed  on  the 
marsh,  near  Charleston,  and  after  secreting  the 
boat  and  crew  in  the  tall  marsh  grass,  Ned,  dis 
guised  in  his  rebel  suit,  visited  the  hotels  in  the 
city,  and  while  pretending  to  be  absorbed  in  read 
ing  the  daily  papers,  he  was  really  listening  to  t  lit- 
conversation  of  the  guests,  who  were  mostly  Con 
federate  officers.  In  this  way  he  gained  a  knowl- 

166 


NED  MINTON.  167 

edge  of  the  forces  in  and  about  the  city,  arid  the 
contemplated  movement  of  troops  at  different 
points  outside.  At  one  time,  when  passing  a 
Confederate  sentry  who  was  eying  him  closehr,  he 
stopped  abruptly  and  completely  disconcerted 
him  by  repremanding  him  severely  for  his  un 
sold  ier-like  appearance. 

To  act  as  spy  requires  nerve  and  self  possession, 
under  all  circumstances,  for,  to  be  recognized  as 
such  and  caught,  means  death,  and  that  most 
speedily.  Ned  always  went  well  armed  with 
pistols,  and  depended  on  them  and  his  fleetness  of 
foot  for  his  safety.  If  detected  he  shot  quickly 
and  then  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and 
speedily  made  his  way  to  his  boat,  his  faithful 
men  always  remaining  in  waiting,  listening  for  his 
signal;  though,  frequently,  they  were  nearly 
perished  with  cold  before  they  heard  the  joyful 
sound  of  his  coming. 

There  was  a  chain  boom  across  the  channel  be 
tween  Moultrie  and  Sumpter,  to  bar  the  passage 
of  the  fleet,  should  an  attempt  to  reach  the  city, 
be  made  from  that  point.  Ned  gave  this  boom 
much  attention  oil  dark  nights,  sounding  its  loca,- 
tion,  where  anchored  below  the  surface,  and  sus 
tained  at  a  uniform  depth  by  buoys.  He  tried  at 
various  times  to  sever  its  connections,  but  was 


THE  ADVKNTTKRS  OP 


always  unsuccessful.  Later  on,  however,  the  ele 
ments  did  the  job  which  he  was  unable  to 
perform,  for,  during  a  heavy  storm,  it  was 
broken,  and  sections  of  the  heavj-  oak  timbers, 
secured  by  iron  hoops,  in  which  the  chain  was 
encased,  came  ashore  on  Morris  Island.  These 
timbers  were  regarded  by  the  soldiers  as  provi 
dential  favors,  for  they  were  quickly  cut  in  suit 
able  length  and  used  for  stockade  for  tents,  and 
for  fuel  for  the  camp-fires. 

It  also  fell  to  Ned's  lot  to  inspect  the  walls  of 
Sumpter,  to  ascertain  if  it  were  possible  for  a 
storming  party  to  scale  them.  He  made  several 
landings  there  in  his  boat,  by  night.  In  fact  Ned 
was  so  often  associated  with  danger  and  escaped 
unharmed,  in  those  days,  that  he  almost  began 
to  believe  that  he  possessed  a  charmed  life. 

At  one  time  a  scow  being  badly  needed,  and 
none  being  at  hand,  Ned  conceived  the  idea  of 
capturing  one  from  the  enemy.  There  was  a  good 
one  fastened  at  the  wharf  at  Seceshville,  which 
could  be  reached  by  sailing  up  a  narrow  creek.  If 
the  attempt  was  made,  however,  it  must  be  done 
in  broad  daylight,  as  a  block  house,  which  stood 
on  the  marsh  beside  the  creek,  was  garrisoned  by 
the  enemy  at  night.  It  was  a  hazardous  under 
taking  by  day,  for  sentinels  were  posted  in  the  im- 


NED  MINTON.  169 

mediate  locality  of  the  wharf,  and  a  fort,  bristling 
with  cannon,  was  handy  by. 

Ned  depended  on  the  very  boldness  of  the  act  to 
disconcert  the  enemy  and  accomplish  his  object. 
He  waited  until  a  day  when  the  tide  turned  at 
noon,  so  that  it  would  be  favorable  to  bear  the 
scow  along  the  swift  current  down  the  creek. 
Then  he  prepared  a  torch,  and  after  selecting  four 
of  his  best  men,  he  pulled  leisurely  up  the  creek. 
What  the  Confederates  thought  to  see  a  boat 
with  men  pulling  so  slowly  from  the  yankee  line, 
straight  to  the  wharf  at  Seceshville,  was  never 
learned;  but  that  is  what  Ned  did.  Then,  with 
one  clip  of  the  ax,  he  severed  the  painter  which 
held  it  and  immediately  it  started  with  the  cur 
rent  toward  the  creek. 

Then  every  man  in  the  boat  bent  with  all  his 
might  to  the  oars,  for  by  this  time  the  Sentinels 
had  taken  in  the  situation,  and  some  were  crying — 
"Turn  out  the  guard!  Turn  out  the  guard!" 
while  others  began  shooting  at  the  boat  which 
had  now  gotten  off  a  long  gnn  shot,  and  was  par 
tially  shielded  by  the  high  banks  of  the  winding 
creek.  A  light  battery  now  began  to  play  upon 
them,  and  bid  fair  to  kill  the  men  or  sink  the 
boat,  whenever  it  came  into  view  in  turning  the 
corners. 


1  7<»  THK  Anviivn  ui.s  «>r 

Yet  Ned  meant  to  accomplish  the  whole  object 
of  liis  trip,  whatever  the  result.  When  the  boat 
ncared  th«-  Idock-house  he  lighted  his  torch, 
sprang  to  the  hank,  and  cast  it  through  the  door 
way.  The  next  moment  a  shell  plowed  through 
the  hank,  covering  him  so  thickly  with  soft  mud 
that  he  was  unrecognizable. 

A  large  force  of  Confederates,  at  Seceshville.  and 
a  large  I'nion  force,  at  Black  Island  had  now  be 
come  deeply  interested,  and  were  out  watching 
the  plunging  shells,  nearly  all  of  which,  from  the 
point  of  observation,  seemed  to  have  passed 
through  the  little  boat  or  destroyed  its  daring 
crew.  It  is  said  that  bravo  men  admire  their 
kind,  every  where:  and  this  instance  proved  no 
exception.  When  Neil  cast  the  torch  and  escaped 
death  so  narrowly,  a  great  cheer  went  up,  from 
both  lines,  and  the  chivalrous  Confederates  de 
sisted  from  firing  another  shot. 

The  block-house  burned  flat,  and  the  scow  came 
along  in  due  time.  The  congratulations  heaped 
upon  Ned  and  his  brave  boatmen,  both  by  com 
rades  and  superiors,  was  well  merited  and  their 
daring  act  was  a- source  of  envy  to  many  an  as 
piring  young  soldier,  in  the  garrison  at  Black 
Island,  nolwithstandingthedeed  accomplished  was 


NED  MINTON.  171 

universally  acknowledged  to  be  unworthy  of  the 
risk. 

Ned  had  one  opportunity,  while  in  the  army,  to 
make  use  of  his  power  over  horses  as  he  had  done 
over  oxen  so  long  ago.  He  was  going  to  the 
front  when  he  came  upon  a  twenty-four  horse 
team  assisted  by  one  hundred  negroes  on  the  lead. 
The  team,  which  had  for  a  load  a  large  gun  of 
many  thousand  pounds  heft,  was  stuck  fast  in  the 
sand.  Ned  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance,  and 
told  the  teamster  that  his  horses  were  too  aristo 
cratic  to  work  with  negroes,  and  advised  him  to 
unfasten  the  rope  and  let  them  go.  After  this  was 
done,  Ned  walked  around  the  team,  speaking  to 
each  horse,  as  he  had  done  to  the  oxen,  and  pick 
ing  up  a  stick  and  swinging  it  gave  them  the  word 
to  go.  They  all  pulled  together  and  soon  the 
team  was  out  of  the  sand,  in  which  the  great 
wheels  had  stuck,  and  on  its  way  to  the  front, 
while  the  negroes  demurely  walked  behind  the  gun 
well  pleased  with  the  condition  which  exempted 
them  from  the  hard  service  which  they  had  hereto 
fore  been  accustomed. 

The  blockading  fleet  consisted  of  two  'distinct 
lines  by  day,  and  three  by  night.  By  day  the  iron 
clads  formed  the  line  just  inside  tht»  bar,  some 
three  or  four  miles  from  the  island,  and  the 


172  Tin:  AI>\  i:vnu>  OP 

wooden  ships  the  outer  line,  about  the  same 
distance  from  the  ironclads.  By  night  a  line  of 
boat  pickets  was  established  between  the  islands 
and  the  city,  and  as  still  greater  precautionary 
measures,  against  surprise  by  the  enemy,  or  the 
possibility  of  the  entrance  to  the  port  of  the 
blockade  runners,  armed  tug  boats  were  kept 
steaming  around  patrolling  the  harbor. 

Notwithstanding  these  precautions,  occasion 
ally  a  steamer  with  valuable  cargo  would  succeed 
in  evading  the  fleet,  the  Captain  taking  his  bear 
ings  by  a  bright  light  kept  constantly  burning  in 
the  steeple  of  St.  Michaels  Church  in  the  be- 
leagere  j  city.  On  February  second,  the  night  be 
ing  dark  and  foggy,  a  large  white  steamer  stole 
through  the  fleet,  but  ran  aground  on  Sullivaus 
Island,  about  a  mile  distant  from  Fort  Moultrie. 

When  the  fog  scaled,  about  ten  o'clock,  the  next 
morning,  she  was  first  sighted  by  those  who 
manned  the  forts  on  Morris  Island.  They  noted 
that  about  a  thousand  Confederates  were  dilli- 
gently  going  back  and  forth,  discharging  her 
cargo,  making  the  trips  on  a  hastily  constructed 
plank  walk  reaching  from  the  shore  to  the  deck. 
Mule  teams  were  also  observed  carting  the  goods 
to  a  place  of  safety  as  fast  as  i  li«-y  were  landed. 

Immediately    on    this   discovery,    a    hundred 


NED  MINTON.  173 

pound  shell,  from  Wagner,  was  sent  flying  over 
the  steamers'  deck.  Several  other  guns  from  the 
land  batteries,  and  those  on  two  monitors  were 
put  in  operation  against  her,  the  shells  causing 
consternation  among  the  workers  and  havoc  to 
the  craft,  which  soon  caught  fire  and  burned  to 
the  waters  edge.  During  the  bombardment  the 
rebel  batteries  were  active  against  the  forts,  in  a 
vain  effort  to  distract  the  aim  of  the  Union  gun 
ners  or  cause  them  to  direct  their  fire  elsewhere, 
than  at  this  valuable  target. 

A  sentinel  was  posted  on  Wagner  to  watch  the 
rebel  guns  and  give  warning  to  the  gunners  of 
the  approach  of  shells.  This  was  given  by  shout 
ing  "James  Island — cover!"  or,  "Sullivan  Island — 
cover!"  The  name  of  the  island,  thus  given,  in 
dicated  the  direction  from  which  the  shells  were 
coming. 

Horses  also  learned  the  danger  incident  to  these 
destructive  missels,  and  the  significance  of  these 
calls  to  cover  and  learned  them  nearly  as  readily 
as  the  men.  On  this  instance,  when  the  firing  was 
at  its  height,  two  officers  rode  up  the  beach  and 
dismounting  at  Wagner,  hitched  their  horses 
outside  the  stockade.  It  was  frequently  re 
marked  that  these  intelligent  beasts,  when  active, 
seemed  to  enter  into  the  spirit  and  enjoyment  of 


174  THE  ADVEXTIMIES  <>I 

the  battle,  but,  like  men,  when  held  in  reserve 
among  the  flying  missiles,  realized  the  danger 
more  fully  hence,  became  nervous  and  timid. 
When  the  lookout  on  the  fort  gave  the  cry,  "to 
cover,"  these  horses  cowered  and  in  this  kneeling 
position  trembled  with  fear  until  the  shell  ex 
ploded  and  the  danger  was  past,  then  they  arose 
; ind  were  calm  until  the  next  call,  when  they  re 
peated  the  act  as  before. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Return  to  Virginia.— Flighting    and   Scouting.— Con 
federates  Evacuate  the   Bermuda   Hundred 
Front.— Landing  at   Deep    Bottom.— Kind- 
ing  a  Pot  of  Gold  and  Silver  Coin. 

QN  April  19th,  1863,  the  Ninth  and  Eleventh 
Maine  Regiments  boarded  the  steamship  Cos 
mopolitan  and  sailed  from  Morris  Island  for 
Virginia,  arriving  at  Gloucester  Point  on  April 
23d,  landing  in  sight  of  the  camping  ground,  at 
Yorktown,  which  they  had  left  to  go  south 
fifteen  months  before.  The  landing  there  was 
made  in  view  of  deceiving  the  Confederates.  On 
the  fifth  of  the  following  month,  all  of  the  forces 
there,  embarked  on  steamers  and  joined  a  fleet  of 
transports  and  gunboats  at  Fortress  Monroe, 
General  B.  F.  Butler  in  command,  and  sailed  up 
the  James  river,  landing  at  City  Point  the  same 
night.  Butler  started -on  this  expedition  with 
forty  thousand  men,  but  when  the  battle  of 
Drurey's  Bluff  was  fought,  a  few  days  later,  he  had 
only  about  seventeen  thousand,  having  left  five 
thousand  at  Port  Waltha.ll,  about  five  thousand 
at  City  Point,  and  three  thousand  at  the  Bermuda 

175 


176  TIM:  ADVKXTUIKS  OF 

Hundred  intrenchments.  while  the  cavalry,  under 
Kautz,  was  let  loose  to  raid  the  Confederate  com 
munications  south  of  the  Union  position. 

XtMl's  regiment  passed  several  eventful  weeks  at 
Bermuda  Hundred  and  vicinity.  It  was  engaged 
in  the  battle  of  Drurey's  Bluff  and  Bermuda  Hun 
dred  and  in  numberless  skirmishes  with  the 
enemy,  losing,  during  that  time,  one  hundred 
and  two  men  killed  and  wounded  and  five  taken 
prisoners. 

During  all  this  time,  Ned  was  serving  as  scout, 
or  spy,  risking  his  neck  to  obtain  information  of 
the  intended  movements  of  the  enemy,  which 
knowledge  he  reported  to  General  Butler  or  his 
aids.  On  the  night  of  the  fifteenth  of  June,  a 
commotion  being  heard  along Beauregard's  front , 
and  reports  coming  in  that  he  was  massing 
cannon  and  infantry  for  an  attack,  Ned  was  sent 
out  alone,  to  learn,  if  possible,  the  true  conditions. 

He  went  to  the  picket  line,  and  after  learning 
the  position  of  the  two  Confederate  vedetts,  near 
est  a  thick  swamp,  lie  wormed  himself  along  inch 
by  inch,  until  he  was  sure  that  he  had  passed  be- 
tweeii  them  and  was  inside  the  Confederate  lines. 
Then  he  traveled  cautiously,  keeping  in  the  thick 
woods  until  he  came  in  sight  of  the  Richmond  and 
Petersburg  turnpike.  Here  he  saw  artillery,  in- 


NED  MINTON.  177 

fantry^and  baggage  trains  passing  along  in  a 
steady  stream,  indicating  that  Beauregard's 
army  was  in  full  retreat. 

Becoming  satisfied  that  the  threatened  attack 
was  made,  by  the  enemy,  to  cover  his  real  pur 
pose,  he  again  made  his  way  back  through  the 
rebel  vedetts,  then  through  the  Union  lines,  re 
porting  at  head-quarters  just  at  daybreak.  On 
hearing  Ned's  report  of  these  facts,  couriers  were 
at  once  sent  out  for  an  immediate  advance  of  the 
whole  Union  front. 

When  this  advance  was  made,  the  Confederate 
line,  from  the  Hewlett  House  to  the  Appomatox, 
was  found  to  be  without  a  defender,  as  had  been 
predicted  by  Ned. 

On  the  twentieth  of  June,  the  brigade,  of  which 
the  Eleventh  was  a  part,  marched  to  Jones'  Land 
ing,  and,  under  cover  of  darkness,  crossed  the 
James  River,  in  pontoon  boats,  and  made  a  land 
ing  at  Deep  Bottom.  Lieutenant  Ned  Minton  and 
his  scouts,  having  previously  visited  the  country, 
and  noted  the  weakest  positions,  acted  as  guides 
in  advancing  the  lines  and  establishing  the  posts. 

The  thin  line  of  Confederate  pickets  fell  back 
upon  the  approach  of  the  Union  forces,  without 
offering  resistance.  The  fortified  lines  of  the 
enemy  were  well  back  from  the  river,  beyond  the 


TUI:  .\n\  i:.\Ti  i;i:s  or 

reach  of  ill.-  I'niongun  boats.  They  were  strong 
ly  fortified  on  Deep  Bottom  Bluff,  the  works  ex 
tending  to  ('haj)ins  Bluff  and  along  Bailey's  Ovek 
to  Fnssells  Mills,  a  distance  of  several  miles.  This 
position  covered  the  river  road,  running  to  .New 
market  road  west  of  Baileys  Creek,  and  traversed 
the  wooded  edge  of  Strawberry  Plains,  even  run 
ning  beyond  .Malvern  Hill. 

The  1'nion  picket  line,  as  first  established,  ex 
tended  from  the  creek  through  the  woods,  then 
swung  back  through  a  field  on  the  left  to  the 
river.  Near  the  mouth  of  Four  Mile  Creek,  next 
the  river  road,  the  I'nion  forces  maintained  a  ] 
of  observation,  defended  by  two  companies  of  the 
Eleventh.  General  Grant  now  made  the  Deep 
Bottom  position  the  base  of  his  operations  on  the 
north  side  of  the  James. 

By  this  time  the  weather  had  become  hot  and 
oppressive,  and  the  two  armies,  on  either  side  of 
the  river,  remained,  for  the  most  part .  inact  ive  for 
several  weeks.  Some  time  during  the  first  part  of 
.Inly  Lieutenant  Minton  sallied  out  with  his 
scouts  and  burned  a  mill  which  was  being  run  to 
grind  grain  for  the  Confederate  army;  he  also 
burned  some  other  buildings  occupied  by  men  en 
gaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes  and  clothing 
for  the  same  purpose. 


NED  MINTON.  179 

Yet  by  far  the  most  exciting  event  this  month 
was  the  finding  of  a  pot  containing-  seven  thous 
and  dollars  in  gold  and  silver  coin.  It  came 
about  in  thjs  way.  A  house  near  the  river  had 
been  shelled  and  burned :  A  Dutch  soldier,  be 
longing  to  the  Tenth  Connecticut,  while  in  search 
of  bait  to  fish  in  the  river,  observing  a  box  in  the 
front  yard,  around  which  yet  stood  the  fence  un 
disturbed,  entered  the  gateway,  raised  it  and 
commenced  to  dig  for  worms.  He  had  dug  down 
but  a  few  inches,  however,  when  his  shovel  came  in 
contact  with  an  iron  pot. 

He  was  observed,  while  in  the  act  of  raising  it, 
by  a  drummer  boy,  who  cried  out  lustily, — "Fall  in 
for  your  gold  and  silver!"  Some  five  hundred 
soldiers,  near  by,  were  attracted  by  the  lads  cries, 
and  rushed  upon  the  Dutchman,  knocking  him 
over  and  strewing  the  contents  of  the  pot  over 
the  yard.  Several  packages  of  bright  silver, 
halves  and  quarters,  which  were  broken  open  and 
scattered  about,  gave  the  impression  to  the  ex 
cited  soldiers  that  a  vault  containing  countless 
millions  had  been  found,  and  each  scrambled  and 
pushed  to  get  his  share.  Two  small  boxes  which 
fell  from  the  pot,  and  were  buffeted  around  for  some 
time  by  those  eager  to  get  a  larger  share,  were 
accepted  as  last  resort,  one  each,  by  two  soldiers. 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF 


One  box  was  found  to  contain  seven  hundred  dol 
lars,  in  gold,  and  the  other  three  hundred  doll.n> 
of  the  same  metal.  The  soldier  who  got  the 
larger  amount  sold  it  to  an  officer  for  fourteen 
hundred  dollars  in  "green  backs,  "obtained  his  dis 
charge  and  returned  home,  where  he  married  and 
became  a  peaceful  and  happy  citizen. 

Three  dollars  and  a  half  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
Dutchman,  who  unearthed  the  treasure.  This 
amount  he  exchanged  with  his  sutler  forpal;it;il>lr 
food,  all  of  which  he  devoured  before  he  slept. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Ned  Ivlinton  Visits  the  Lantaler  Mansion  and.  Be 
comes     Interested    in      its      Captivating      Mis 
tress. — Fighting    at    Stra-wberry  Plains. — 
Captures  an  Obnoxious  Guerrilla. 

LIEUTENANT  Ned  Minton  had  performed  nu 
merous  services  worthy  of  promotion,  since 
his  return  to  Virginia  soil,  yet  he  was  somewhat 
surprised  by  receiving  a  commission  by  mail,  July 
10th,  giving  him  the  rank  of  Captain  from  a  date 
several  months  back.  He  had  received  frequent 
orders  from  the  General  in  command  in  regard  to 
gaining  a  knowledge  of  important  and  desirable 
secrets  beyond  the  established  lines  of  the  Con 
federates,  a  work  which  was  always  hazardous, 
frequently  requiring  sudden  and  fierce  clashes 
with  the  enemy  in  the  darkness,  or  the  exercise  of 
great  caution  and  silent  and  stealthy  movements. 
The  particular  business  in  hand  usually  received 
Ned's  undivided  attention;  but  sometimes,  when 
his  orders  were  indefinite,  and  the  time  for  his  re 
turn  unlimited,  he  would  execute  plans,  of  his 

181 


Tin:  AI>VI:NTI  i:i:s  of 

own  making,  which  would  result  in  tin-  capture  of 
;i  lone  vedette,  from  some  advanced  and  exposed 
position,  or  perchance.  In-  would  be  led  to  call 
upon  a  planter  of  known  Tnion  sympathies  to 
learn  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  inci 
dentally,  to  purchase  a  few  luxuries  such  as 
poultry,  bacon  and  eg<rs.  sweet  cider,  apple-jack, 
or  some  of  the  tempting  messes  prepared  by  the 
"black  mammy"  of  the  place. 

()n  one  occasion,  when  about  to  return  at  the 
close  of  a  day,  spent  in  the  border  of  a  foi-.-t. 
along  which  he  and  his  men  had  been  skulking 
and  crawling,  in  various  directions,  to  ascertain. 
if  possible,  the  location  and  strength  of  the 
enemy,  Ned  resolved  to  visit  an  aristocratic  look 
ing  residence  situated  upon  an  eminence  over 
looking  the  James  river,  a  house  which  before  had 
not  received  his  personal  attention.  He  informed 
his  men  of  his  intention,  and  then  marched  them 
from  the  woods  halting  at  a  safe  distance.  After 
instructing  them  what  to  do  in  case  of  an  emer 
gency,  he  deployed  them  in  a  circuit  around  the 
premises,  and  leaving  them,  passed  through  the 
labyrinth  of  trailing  vines,  which  grew  profusely 
about  the  place,  and  rapped  with  the  hilt  of  hi* 
sword  upon  the  oaken  door,  at  the  front  of  the 
mansion. 


NED  MINTON.  183 

There  was  a  few  moments  delay;  then  a  chamber 
window  was  raised  and  a  beautiful  girl  of,  per 
haps,  eighteen  years  of  age,  appeared  there  and  in 
a  soft  sweet  voice  inquired  who  was  there  and 
what  was  wanted.  Ned  replied  that  he  was  not  a 
free  forager,  as  perhaps  she  might  think,  but  a 
Union  soldier  in  search  of  something  to  eat,  for 
which  he  was  prepared  to  pay  in  Confederate  or 
Yankee  money,  as  she  might  prefer.  The  young 
woman  replied  that  she  would  be  glad  to  render 
aid  to  soldiers  of  the  Union  without  pay ;  but  the 
Confederates  had  stripped  the  place  of  nearly 
everything  edible;  yet  if  he  chose  to  come  in,  he 
would  be  very  welcome  to  such  as  she  had,  ready 
prepared,  which  was  nothing  better  than  corn- 
bread  and  milk. 

An  old  negro,  who  proved  to  be  the  only  other 
occupant  was  sent  to  open  the  door.  He  ushered 
Ned  into  the  parlor  where  he  found  the  young 
lady  awaiting  his  entrance.  She  gave  him  a 
gracious  and  patriotic  reception,  by  gently  wav 
ing  a  small  American  flag,  upon  which  she  cast 
glances  so  devout,  that  none  could  doubt  her 
loyalty  to  it,  even  had  she  not  told  him  that  she 
loved  this  little  emblem,  which,  for  many  months. 
had  been  the  only  visible  link  to  remind  her  of  a 
once  united  country,  which  she  had  ever  been 


184:  Tin:  AI>\  I:NTIKI:S  UK 

taught  to  love  with  a  devotion  which   life  itself 
was  considered  none  too  dear  a  sacrifice  to  keep 
from  being  torn  asunder:   and  that  her  pra; 
were  uffi-ivd  daily  for  the  cause  to  which  he  was 
giving 1  he  best  years  of  his  life  to  promote. 

Many  times,  while  performing  his  detached 
duties.  Ned  had  met  with  southern  ladies,  whose 
eyes  Hashed  defiance,  and  whose  lips  hurled  sting 
ing  epithets  at  the  I'nion  soldiers  and  the  Union 
cause,  but  here  was  one,  among  the  many,  who 
stood  a  living  and  devoted  supporter  of  the 
principles  which  he  had  sworn  to  defend;  and  to 
>a\  that  he  was  filled  with  admiration  and  respect 
for  this  beautiful  being,  who  seemed  to  be  loyalty 
itself,  would  but  half  express  the  feeling  of  his 
heart  as  he  bowed  and  accepted  the  seat  which  she 
offered  him. 

By  the  order  of  his  young  mistress,  the  old  ser 
vant  brought  in  the  bread  and  milk  and  presented 
it,  after  which  he  retired  from  the  room  ;  then  the 
young  lady  entertained  the  Captain,  as  he  ate,  by 
relat  ing  bits  of  her  family  history  which  served  to 
greatly  strengthen  his  interest  in  her  and  his  de 
termination  to  see  to  her  future  welfare  as  far  as 
possible.  She  told  him  that  of  the  sufferings 
which  she  had  been  called  upon  to  bear,  the  last 
lew  months,  the  hardest  was  the  death  of  her 


NED  MINTON.  185 

father  and  departure  of  her  brother.  Both  had 
loved  and  revered  the  old  Union  with  a  devotion 
which  no  promise  of  money,  rank  or  station  could 
lead  them  to  forsake.  Her  father  had  repeatedly 
been  offered  high  positions  to  espouse  the  Con 
federate  cause,  all  of  which  he  refused  with  indig 
nation,  which  served  to  bring  his  case  immedi 
ately  to  a  crisis.  He  was  conscripted  and 
assigned  to  the  forces,  then  drilling  for  the  de 
fense  of  Richmond,  immediately  after  the  Con 
federate  defeat  at  Williamsburg.  At  the  Battle  of 
Fair  Oaks  he  was  forced  to  the  front  and  fell 
while  advancing  upon  Casey's  division,  his  dying 
words  forming  a  prayer  for  the  Union  cause. 

In  order  to  escape  the  rebel  service  her  young 
brother,  who  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age,  had 
recently  passed  "over  the  line"  and  enlisted,  as  a 
drummer,  in  a  Pennsylvania  regiment. 

Since  this  last  event,  she  had  been  suspected  and 
accused  of  imparting  information  concerning  the 
Confederate  army,  to  Union  officers,  and  was 
watched  by  one  James  Sinclair,  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Confederate  service,  who  commanded  a  small 
scouting  party  which  was  then  encamped  but  a 
couple  of  miles  from  her  residence.  She  also 
stated  that  she  had  that  day  visited  a  friend,  who 
lived  near  his  encampment,  and  Sinclair,  becom- 


1  ^i;  TIIK  AI)VKNTflCi:s   OF 

ing  cognizant  of  the  fact,  improved  this  oppor 
tunity  to  <-all  upon  her,  and  insolently  press  his 
suit,  which  she  refused  to  consider,  as  she  had 
done  on  two  previous  occasions.  Her  reject  ic  m 
excited  his  wrath,  to  that  extent  that  he  made  no 
concealment  of  his  intentions  to  compel  her  to  ac 
cept  him,  totally  regardless  of  her  feelings 
towards  him.  To  influence  her,  he  drew  a  vivid 
and  startling  picture  of  her  dangerous  position, 
by  informing  her  that  he  had  made  it  a  part  of 
his  business,  in  the  interest  of  the  Confederate 
cause,  to  observe  her  movements,  for  the  past 
several  w<><iks,  during  which  time  he  had  obtained 
positive  proof,  from  various  sources,  that  she  had 
been  making  visits  into  the  interior,  upon  a 
forged  pass,  for  the  purpose  of  gleaning  military 
secrets,  to  impart  to  Union  officers;  and  he  de 
manded  consent  to  his  proposals  or  he  would 
take  steps  for  her  apprehension  which,  doubtless, 
would  result  in  her  conviction  as  a  spy.  To  im 
press  upon  her  mind  the  depth  of  affection  he  en 
tertained  and  the  lenity  he  could  show,  he  said  he 
would  kr<>p  her  great  crime,  a  secret  in  his  own 
breast,  for  the  space  of  one  week,  at  theexpiration 
of  which  time,  he  would  visit  her  residence  to  learn 
her  decision. 
The  young  lady  said  she  had  fully  considered 


XED  MINTOX.  187 

the  matter,  while  on  her  way  home,  and  thorough 
ly  realized  the  peril  in  which  she  found  herself 
placed,  by  reason  of  the  Union  sentiments  of 
herself  and  brother,  which  had  been  openly  ex 
pressed  on  all  occasions.  Knowing  the  unprinci 
pled  character  and  vindictive  disposition,  attribu 
ted  to  Sinclair,  she  said  she  had,  previous  to  his 
visit,  resolved  to  apply  to  officers  of  the  Union  army 
for  advice,  and  that  she  welcomed  this  oppor 
tunity  to  consult  him,  and  begged  him  to  give  her 
friendty  counsel  in  the  matter  which  appeared 
dark  indeed  to  her. 

After  considering  a  few  moments  Captain 
Minton  inquired  if  she  knew  the  strength  of  the 
forces  commanded  by  Sfnclair.  She  said  she  had 
learned  that  his  band  numbered  about  thirty,  and 
that  they  were  maintaining  a  Guerrilla  warfare 
and  that  he  was  using  his  own  methods,  with 
little  restraint  attempted  by  his  superiors,  conse 
quently  many  of  his  acts  were  extremely  barbarous, 
and  fears  of  possible  retaliation  made  him  shrewd 
and  cunning;  hence  he  seldom  ventured  near  the 
Union  lines  without  a  portion  of  his  command, 
and  it  was  her  opinion  when  he  made  his  visit  to 
her  it  would  be  made  in  force,  for  he  never  entered 
a  house  even  within  the  Confederate  limits  without 


188  THE   ADVKXTl'KKS  OF 

first  posting  sentinels  to  \v;itch  all  the  ap 
proaches. 

After  hearing  this  statement.  Captain  Minton 
informed  her  that  he  considered  her  case  pre 
carious,  and  that  he  saw  but  two  ways  to  pro 
ceed  which  would  give  her  any  measure  of  hope 
for  protection.  The  first,  and  most  reasonnHf 
one,  was  for  her  to  leave  her  home  and  seek  refn^- 
in  the  Union  lines,  exposed  as  she  would  be  to  the 
fire  of  both  armies,  should  a  general  action  occur; 
and  the  second  was  for  him  to  attempt  to  capture 
or  destroy  Sinclair,  and  band,  on  the  night  of  hi.- 
appointed  visit. 

The  congenial  feeling  experienced  between 
Captian  Minton,  and  his  young  entertainer,  had 
banished  the  thought  of  the  necessity  or  propriety 
of  an  introduction,  for  the  time  being,  but  each, 
recognizing  a  duty  to  the  other,  an  informal  in 
troduction  followed,  then  Ned,  as  we  will  yet  call 
him,  learned  that  the  name  of  this  beautiful  girl  was 
Daisy  Lantaler.  Following  the  introduction  she 
continued  her  narrative  by  saying — that,  on  the 
receipt  of  the  news  of  her  father's  untimely  death. 
her  mother  received  a  shock  from  which  she  never 
recovered,  and  her  brother,  in  the  Union  Army, 
was  the  only  living  relative,  left  her  and  she  had 
promised  him  she  would  remain  and  care  for  th»- 


NED   MINTON.  189 

home  which  was  about  all  that  remained  to  them, 
of  a  large  property,  formerly  owned  by  the  family, 
and  this  promise  she  desired  to  fulfill.  Therefore 
she  wished  to  remain  on  the  place,  and  would,  if 
he  thought  it  passibly  prudent  to  do  so. 

Upon  learning  of  Miss  Lantaler's  preference  to 
remain  at  home,  Captain  Mint-on  informed  her 
that  he  would  attempt  that  which  he  had  already 
intimated,  if  Sinclair  should  visit  her  on  the  ap 
pointed  night,  and  if  the  status  of  the  two  armies 
remained  the  same  until  that  time.  Tears  filled  the 
eyes  of  Miss  Lantaler  as  she  feelinghr  expressed 
regrets  of  the  existance  of  circumstances  which 
necessitated  the  imperiling  of  his  life  for  her  sake ; 
but  Ned  assured  her  that  the  protection  of  loyal 
citizens  was  a  part  of  the  duty  of  soldiers,  of  the 
Union,  and  her  appreciation  and  approval,  in  the 
present  case,  was  ample  reward  to  stimulate  him 
to  perform  that  duty. 

The  Lantaler  homestead,  situated  on,  a  bluff, 
over-looking  the  James  river,  was  easily  covered 
by  Union  gunboats.  For  this  reason  no  attempt 
was  likely  to  be  made,  by  the  enemy,  to  extend 
his  lines  in  that  direction,  hence,  the  risk  of  de 
tection  being  slight,  Miss  Lantaler  was  advised  to 
send  her  trusty  old  servant  at  ten  o'clock,  on  a 
certain  night,  during  the  week,  to  a  piece  of  heavy 


190  THE  AD\  KNTCHKS  OF 

oak  timber  adjoining  the  Union  lines,  which,  on 
occasions,  was  a  rendezvous  for  his  band,  should 
she,  by  chance.  <rain  any  information  of  move 
ments,  con 1 1 -in i dated  by  Lieutenant  Sinclair, 
which  might  offer  exceptional  opportunties  to 
hasten  his  capture.  A  glance  at  his  watch  and  an 
exclamation  of  surprise  at  the  lateness  of  tin- 
hour,  by  Ned,  was  a  reminder,  to  Miss  Lantaler, 
that  the  time  had  indeed  passed  swiftly  and 
pleasantly"  awaj",  then  a  regretful  expression  came 
to  her  lips,  that  duty  compelled  him  to  depart  so 
soon.  A  gentle  pressure  of  the  extended  hand,  a 
whispered  "goodnight,"  and  the  swinging  to  and 
fro  of  the  oaken  door,  then  Miss  Lantaler  stood 
alone,  her  heart  pulsating  with  feelings  never  be 
fore  experienced,  as  she  contrasted,  in  her  mind, 
the  brave  and  gentlemanly  bearing  of  Captain 
Minton  and  the  swaggering,  profane  and  unprin 
cipled  conduct  of  Sinclair. 

After  leaving  the  presence  of  Miss  Lantaler.  N»  •<! 
quietly  assembled  his  men  and  marched  them  to 
camp,  within  the  Union  lines,  where  they  were  dis 
missed  for  the  night.  He  then  spread  his  blanket 
and,  while  meditating  upon  the  events  which 
recently  had  encircled  his  life,  and  spmilatiujr 
upon  the  probable  results,  he  fell  asleep. 

During  the  next  week,  or  on  July  iM.-t.  a  sharp 


NKD  MINTOX.  191 

fight  commenced  on  Strawberry  Plains,  and 
lasted  until  the  25th.  The  Eleventh  being  en 
gaged,  Ned  promptly  responded  to  the  order  to 
report  with  his  men,  to  his  Colonel  for  duty.  The 
fight  was  thus  protracted,  partly,  by  reason  of 
the  loss  of  an  important  position,  by  a  brigade  of 
the  19th  Corps,  which  had  been  left  to  hold  it. 
The  work  had  to  be  retaken,  and  the  General 
having  assigned  the  job  to  the  Eleventh  made  it 
imperative  for  the  regiment  to  return  to  the 
Plains. 

This  caused  Ned  anxious  hours,  for  he  feared 
that  accumulating  duties  might  prevent  the  ful 
filment  of  his  promise  to  Miss  Lantaler,  but  the 
return  of  his  regiment,  to  Deep  Bottom,  on  the 
very  night  of  his  appointed  interview  with  her  old 
servant,  raised  his  hope  to  succeed  and  impelled 
him  to  hasten  to  the  appointed  rendezvous,  in 
the  oaks,  where  he  tarried  until  midnight,  vainly 
looking  and  listening  for  the  approach  of  the  old 
negro.  That  the  failure  of  the  darky  to  appear 
caused  Ned  forebodings  of  evil,  to  the  fair  inmate 
of  the  Lantaler  mansion,  was  evident  from  his 
appearance. 

On  the  night  appointed  by  Lieut.  Sinclair  to 
visit  Miss  Lantaler,  Crptain  Ned  Minton  was 
prompt  in  ordering  the  assembly  of  his  men  by 


THE   AnVKNTTKKS  OF 

the  one  Sergeant,  of  his  little  band,  who  marched 
them  to  the  front  in  company  with  the  guards  to 
relieve  the  pickets.  Upon  their  arrival  at  the 
picket  line,  after  the  posting  of  the  new  guard s, 
the  officer  in  command  was  informal.  by  NVd.tliat 
he  had  scouting  duties  to  perform  and  should 
return  to  a  certain  post,  sometime  during  thr 
night.  After  informing  him  that  his  return  signal 
would  be  made  in  imitation  of  the  hoot  of  an  owl, 
he  received  the  countersign  from  the  officer  of  tin- 
guard,  then  formed  his  men  in  Indian  file  and  l--d 
them  into  the  dense  darkness  of  the  foiv-i 
through  which  he  was  guided  by  the  barking  of  a 
dog,  in  the  rebel  lines,  on  the  north,  and  th»> 
steady  splash  of  the  wheel  of  a  propeller,  in  tin- 
James  river,  on  the  south. 

On  emerging  from  the  forest,  a  line  was  formed 
at  the  border  of  the  Lantaler  plantation,  then  a 
cautious  forward  movement  began.  When  they 
had  approached  somewhat  nearer,  mounted,  s.  n 
tinels  were  observed  about  the  yard.  Ned  th»-n 
ordered  a  halt  to  consult  his  men  and  give  them 
more  definite  instructions  regarding  his  plans. 

While  thus  engaged,  he  was  smiM-wliat  startlnl 
by  the  sudden  and  mysterious  appearance  of  Miss 
Lantaler's  old  servant,  who,  with  hat  in  hand, 
saluted  the  commander  and  in  a  suppressed  voir»>. 


NED  MIXTON.  193 

gave  vent  to  his  feelings,  by  exclaiming  in  true 
plantation  style: — "Well  Capiri,  dey  is  dar,  sir, 
dey  is  dar!"  "Who  is  there?"  demanded  the 
Captain.  "Why!  de  sesh  'tenant  is  dar,  an'  de 
parson  is  dar,  who  say  de  missus  mus'  wed  de 
'tenant,  sar,  or  dey'l  turn  her  ober  to  de  sogers  to 
put  in  de  prison,  sar.  An'  de  sogers  is  dar,  all 
roun'  de  house,  and  de  missus— she  cry  an  make 
belebe  git  ready  for  de  weddin,  sar,  but  crep  in  de 
back  room,  an  tole  me,  befo'  God,  masser,  to  cral 
fro  de  corn  and  fine  Capin  Minton,  an  tell  him  all 
bout  it,  sar,  so  here  I  is,  sar!" 

The  information  derived  from  the  delivery  of 
the  above  speech  by  the  faithful  negro,  stimulated 
Captain  Minton  to  take  immediate  action.  He 
ordered  forward  his  trusty  little  band  of  fifteen 
men,  who  had  been  instructed  to  shoot  the  near 
est  sentinel,  as  soon  as  it  became  evident  that 
they  were  discovered,  then  charge  with  a  shout 
and  din  to  give  the  impression  that  the  attack  ing- 
force  was  a  large  one,  then  immediate!}7  close 
around  the  house  to  prevent  the  escape  of  any 
member  of  the  party  to  the  contemplated  wedding. 

According  to  Ned's  plans,  the  men  were  not  de 
ployed,  but  were  kept  in  close  ranks  for  united 
action.  When  the  advancing  party  was  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  the  sentinels,  the  quick  swinging 


104  THI-:  A i iv i:\TritE8  OF 

back  and  forth,  of  the  horses,  denoted  that  t  hi 
nders  were  on  the  alert,  and  had  sighted  their 
enemies,  among  whom,  a  moment  later,  they  sent 
a  shower  of  whistling  bullets. 

This  was  the  signal  for  a  volley,  from  the  boys 
in  blue,  which  emptied  two  saddles  and  brought 
down  one  horse.  The  echo  was  still  resounding  in 
the  valley,  when  a  charge  was  made,  accompanied 
by  a  terryfying  yell,  which  sent  the  rebel  horsemen 
in  a  scattered  and  demoralized  race  across  the 
plantation. 

As  the  little  Uftion  band  closed  around  the 
house,  Sinclair  and  his  chaplain  came  rushing  out 
and  hastily  mounted  the  horses  which  had  been 
left  hitched  by  the  gate-way,  and  deep  into  the 
flanks  they  pressed  the  spurs.  At  the  first  bound 
horses  and  riders  were  sent  headlong  to  earth. 
This  catastrophe  brought  an  oath  from  Sinclair, 
who  quickly  drew  a  pistol  and  fired  at  the  head  of 
Captain  Minton,  as  a  response  to  his  demand  to 
surrender.  As  the  weapon  was  raised  a  second 
time,  with  deadly  intent,  a  gleaming  blade, 
wielded  by  Ned,  struck  and  shattered  the  arm 
which  held  it,  then  the  bold  Guerrilla  was  a 
prisoner  at  the  mercy  of  his  captor;  yet  he  did 
not  readily  recognize  that  fact,  for  he  again  raised 
his  weapon  in  his  left  hand,  but  when  he  found 


NED  MINTON.  195 

himself  looking  into  the  muzzles  of  half  a  dozen 
muskets,  he  saw  the  folly  of  further  resistance, 
and  readily  expressed  his  willingness  to  surrender. 

Now,  when  all  was  over,  the  old  colored  servant 
appeared  and  manifested,  his  satisfaction,  at  the 
turn  of  events,  by  chuckling  and  pointing  signifi 
cantly  at  the  prostrate  horses,  whose  feet  they 
noticed,  for  the  first  time,  were  securely  fettered, 
in  a  way,  which  prevented  a  step  of  more  than  a 
few  inches.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  their 
sudden  tumble  was  now  plainly  apparent.  The 
continued  chuckling  of  the  old  darkey  excited  the 
suspicion  of  Sinclair,  who  upbraided  the  old  negro 
who  replied  tauntingly, — "If  cuss  words  was  de  w'ip 
cord,  dis  nig  would  be  shoutin  wid  de  angles,  befo' 
sun  up  sure;  but  bress  de  good  Lord,  it  am  not." 

The  disabled  and  humiliating  position  of  the 
Guerrilla  chieftain  was  fully  comprehended,  by  the 
negro,  and  the  venomous  tirade  against  the 
heroic  son  of  Africa,  as  he  was  now  styled,  was  re 
ceived  by  him  with  contempt,  and  his  eyes  glis 
tened  with  pleasure  as  he  witnessed  the  grimace, 
from  pain,  of  the  enemy  of  his  young  mistress, 
whose  true  guardian  he  had  been  since  the  death 
of  her  parents. 

While  the  scenes,  which  are  above  related,  were 
being  enacted  in  the  yard,  others  of  the  Union 


19<5  Tin:  ADVKNTI-HKS  OF 

band  hud  taken  position  beyond  the  house  nnd 
w«-iv  maintaining  a  steady  fire  in  the  direction 
taken  by  the  routed  rebels.  Those  who  were 
] iivscnt  were  ordered,  by  their  commander  to 
assist  the  chaplain,  to  his  feet,  who  had  been 
si  mined  by  the  fall,  and  to  cut  the  thongs  from 
tli»-  prostrate  horses.  A  few  more  hurried  orders 
were  given  in  relation  to  the  prisoners  and  the 
burial  of  the  dead,  then  Ned  hurriedly  entered  the 
mansion  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  Miss 
Lantaler,  who  was  found  in  tears,  and  trembling 
in  fearful  anticipation  of  the  result  of  the  action. 

Just  what  passed  between  Ned  and  Miss 
Lantaler,  during  the  next  hour,  is  not  positively 
known,  but  when  the  maiden  came  to  the  door, 
to  bid  the  Captain  good-night,  her  smiling 
countenance  and  trusting  manner  were  regarded 
as  evidences  of  a  heart  made  happy  by  deep 
and  enduring  friendship  or  the  m3Tstic  power  of 
love. 

During  Ned's  interview  with  Miss  Lantaler,  the 
dead  had  been  burie'J,  and  the  wounds  of  the 
living  temporarily  cared  for;  consequently,  he 
in i mediately  caused  the  assembly  to  be  sounded, 
then  he  marched,  with  his  prisoners,  to  camp 
within  the  Union  lines. 


NED  MINTOX.  197 

Early  the  next  morning  Capt.  Minton  held  an 
interview  with  the  General  which  resulted  in  the 
advancement  of  the  Union  lines  beyond  the 
Lantaler  plantation,  and  the  posting  of  guards 
to  protect  the  property. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


from  Home.—  Ivliaa  A.ngeHa  Seeley  Engage* 
a*  Army  Nvirae.—  Battle  of  Deep  Run. 

morning  following  Captain  Minton's  suc 
cessful  encounter  with  the  Guerrilla  band,  the 
mail  steamer  arrived,  at  City  Point,  with  nn  un 
commonly  large  mail,  and  a  great  many  boxes  of 
food  and  clothing  from  dear  ones  at  home. 

Among  the  boxes  was  one  for  the  Company 
which  went  from  central  Washington  County. 
This  box  contained  socks,  handkerchiefs,  slipper-. 
thread,  needles,  writing  material  and  numberless 
other  small  articles  highly  appreciated,  by  the 
soldier  boys,  not  only  for  their  intrinsic  value, 
but  because  they  represented  the  thought,  feeling 
and  interest  of  those  at  home  for  the  boys  at  the 
front,  who  realized,  fully,  what  it  meant  to  wait 
and  watch  through  anxious  weeks,  months  and 
years,  in  fearful  expectancy  as  a  result  of  each 
encounter  with  the  armed  enemj"  of  liberty  and 
union. 

When  this  box  was  opened  a  small  package  was 
found  directed  in  a  delicate  female  hand  to 

198 


NED  MINTON.  199 

Captain  Ned  Mint  on.  When  Ned  opened  it  he 
found  many  useful  articles,  and  in  the  toe  of  a 
sock,  a  note,  which  sent  a  thrill  through  his  whole 
being.  The  words  were  simple,  yet  he  dared  hope 
they  convej'ed  a  hidden  meaning  of  far  greater 
import  than  was  really  apparent.  The  note  read — 
"From  your  dearest  friend  and  well  wisher," 
signed  Angelia  Seeley. 

He  read  the  note  over  and  over,  and  examined 
carefully  every  article  in  the  package  aiid  noted 
the  delicate  handi-work  of  the  donor;  then  he  laid 
them  carefully  away  in  his  knapsack. 

Among  the  letters  which  he  received  was  one 
from  his  old  friend,  Hiram  Quagley.  Hiram 
stated  that  his  heart  was  at  the  front  and  when 
he  was  about  to  enlist,  his  brother  emphatically 
objected,  as  he  too  had  decided  it  was  his  duty  to 
go,  and,  as  but  one  of  them  could  be  spared  from 
home,  on  account  of  the  feeble  condition  of  their 
parents,  he  proposed  that  the  question  should  be 
decided  by  lot,  then  and  there,  the  result  of  the 
drawing  leaving  him  no  alternative  but  to  remain 
at  home,  for  the  present,  at  least. 

He  wrote,  "I  am  in  correspondence  with  Miss 
Diana  Hubert,  of  St.  John,  and  we  are  settled  on 
being  married  in  two  weeks,  and  are  to  live  in  a 
house  adjoining  the  residence  of  my  parents, 


200  THE  ADVENT r It KS  OF 

where  I  have  no  doubt  we  will  be  blissfully  happy. 
You  know  1  didn't  have  a  very  exalted  opinion  of 
Miss  Anp-lia  Seeley,  but  I  must  say,— I  have 
changed  my  mind.  It  is  now  my  opinion,  second 
ed  by  everybody  in  this  vicinity,  that  a  better, 
more  considerate,  patriotic  and  true  hearted 
young  lady,  does  not  exist  west  of  St.  John,  N.  B. 
A  few  weeks  ago  she  applied  for  a  position  to 
serve  a«  field  army  nurse,  and,  I  believe,  has  been 
accepted  and  ordered  to  report  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  forthwith." 

The  turn  affairs  had  taken  at  home  was  de 
cidedly  unexpected  to  Ned,  but,  in  a  sense,  were 
very  gratifying.  Yet  the  thought  that  Miss 
Seeley  was  to  undertake  the  hardship  and  de 
privation  of  an  army  nurse  gave  him  a  world  of 
anxiety,  for  he  doubted  her  physical  ability  to 
hold  up  under  such  a  strain,  and  he  also  doubted 
if  she  had  the  least  conception  of  tin-  magnitude 
of  her  undertaking. 

Since  the  extension  of  the  Union  pickets  beyond 
the  Lantaler  plantation,  Miss  Daisy  Lantaler  had 
opened  her  house  for  hospital  purpows.  and  had 
also  offered  her  services  to  assist  in  any  way 
possible,  in  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
This  was  Y«TV  grat  it'ying  to  Ned,  as  her  voluntary 
act  was  recognized  as  an  assurance  that  his 


XKD   MIXTOX.  201 

hastily  formed  opinion  of  her  worthiness  was  not 
misplacd,  but  his  own  duties  were  accumulating 
and  his  time  to  speculate  upon  the  motives  of 
others  who  were  engaged  in  the  same  noble  cause, 
was  limited. 

On  the  night  of  August  13th,  the  Eleventh  be 
came  a  part  of  the  picket  out  at  the  front.  A  few 
hours  previous  to  this  several  members  of  the 
regiment,  who  had  been  home  on  a  sick  furlough, 
returned.  Among  them  was  Charley  Urann  of 
Co.  C.  Charley  was  a  good  soldier,  and  full  of 
hope  and  in  the  best  of  spirits  he  inarched  to  the 
front  with  the  guards.  Through  the  night  he 
held  an  appreciative  audience  to  listen  to  his 
stories  relating  to  friends  at  home.  At  dawn  the 
guards  were  ordered  to  roll  their  blankets  and  fall 
into  line. 

The  enemy  had  been  unusually  quiet  through 
out  the  night,  and  there  was  no  thought  of  an  ad 
vance.  When  the  line  was  formed,  it  was  deployed 
facing  toward  the  enemy,  whose  outer  line  w,-is 
not  five  hundred  yards  away.  At  the  command 
" Forward!"  there  was  a  brisk  movement  from 
the  woods  out  into  a  slashing  of  small  pine  trees. 
Nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  withering  brush,  on 
every  hand,  which  gave  forth  a  peculiar  odor. 
Not  a  sound  was  heard  except  the  subdued  com- 


120:2  Tin:  AD\  I:\TI  HES  OF 

mands  of  officers  and  the  rustling  of  the  dry  lc.. 
under  foot.  At  the  farther  edge  of  the  slashing,  in 
pits  secreted  by  brush,  the  rebels  lay  in  waiting. 
When  the  Union  lines  had  advanced,  a  few  yards 
along  the  slashing,  the  enemy  opened  fire  with 
unerring  aim.  Charley  Urann  was  the  first  to  fall 
dead.  He  had  visited  his  home  for  the  last 
time. 

Corporal  McGinnis  and  private  Beedle  were  tin- 
next  to  give  their  lives  to  their  count  i  \ .  The  heft 
of  the  first  fire  came  upon  Companies  C.  and  I. 
Company  C.  lost  sixteen  men  out  of  thirty-two, 
and  Company  I  fared  even  worse.  Major  Baldwin 
and  Capt.  Sabine  also  felj  severely  wounded.  In 
five  minutes  forty  men  in  the  regiment  were  either 
killed  or  wounded  and  the  regiment  had  scarcely 
fired  a  gun.  This  was  the  initiatory  skirmish  of  a 
series  of  fights  which  lasted  for  several  days.  The 
line  was  slightly  re-enforced  and  a  determined 
charge  resulted  in  the  capture  of  a  part  of  the 
rebels,  the  remainder  being  routed  from  the  pits 
and  driven  back  to  a  stronger  line,  composed  of 
forts  and  rifle  pits,  which  were  skirmished  against 
the  greater  part  of  the  day  without  result,  until 
t  lit-v  were  routed  by  a  flank  movement . 

On  Aug.  16th  the  Confederate  pickets  were 
driven  in  at  Deep  Run.  The  Eleventh  lost  several 


NED  MIXTOX.  203 

men  but  continued  to  advance  towards  the  main 
fortification.  A  halt  was  then  ordered  to  rectify 
the  line  and  allow  other  forces  to  get  into  posi 
tion.  As  soon  as  they  were  ready  a  terrific  yell 
was  started  on  the  right  and  intensified  by  the 
Eleventh.  A  quick  forward  movement  began  with 
the  yell.  The  edge  of  the  woods  was  soon 
reached,  near  the  border  of  which,  was  a  deep 
ravine.  Across  this,  about  seventy-five  yards  dis 
tant,  lay  the  rebel  works  in  full  view.  Over  the 
top  was  seen  a  line  of  broad  brimmed  hats,  worn 
by  vigilant  rebels,  whose  eyes  were  looking  along 
gleaming  gun  barrels,  pointing  toward  the  Union 
battle  line. 

It  was  calm,  and  a  Confederate  flag  was  limpfy 
floating  from  a  small  staff  planted '  on  the  works. 
As  the  Union  line  came  more  fully  into  view  of  the 
Confederates,  the  muskets  cracked  sharply  then 
there  was  a  rush  of  hissing  bullets  and  the  little 
red  twigs,  among  the  Union  ranks,  were  cut  off 
and  toppled  over,  many  of  them  taking  on  a 
deeper  hue  from  jets  of  human  blood.  Soldiers 
were  being  struck  and  were  crying  out  in  every 
direction.  Dress  coats  were  perforated  and  wads 
of  cotton  were  twisted  out  and  scattered  about 
like  thistle  down.  Bullets  went  singing  by  and 
bounding  from  the  trees  with  a  peculiar  hum 


204  THE  Ai)vi:.NTrin;s  OF 

known  only  to  those  who  have  been  under  fire. 
Every  one  who  could,  quickly  found  cover  behind 
trees  and  gave  back  shot  for  shot.  The  line  \\.-is 
thin  and  broken  up, hence  the  force  was  ordered  to 
fall  back  to  the  cover  of  the  woods,  where  it  was 
reformed.  Later,  re-enforcements  joined,  then  the 
yell  was  again  renewed  and  the  whole  line  pressed 
forward  and  carried  the  pits  with  a  rush. 

P.f.vond  the  works  a  number  of  dead  and 
wounded  rebels  were  seen  lying  promiscuously 
between  corn-hills  and  in  depressions  in  the  sur 
face  of  the  earth.  The  wounded  were  anxious  to 
leave  their  exposed  positions  and  were  waving 
hats  and  .handkerchiefs  to  attract  attention. 
A  Union  soldier  jumped  over  the  pit  and  spoke 
with  a  wounded  Confederate  lad  of  not  more  than 
sixteen  years  of  age.  His  right  leg  was  broken 
and  his  tongue  was  swollen  from  thirst.  He  was 
placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  pit,  his  leg  straigh 
tened  out  and  bolstered  with  his  blanket,  and  his 
thirst  was  quenched  with  water  from  the  Union 
soldier's  canteen. 

Whistles  were  tooting  in  Richmond  indicating 
great  activity  of  the  trains.  Later,  the  nature  of 
the  work  the  trains  were  engaged  in  was  made 
manifest  by  the  appearance  of  solid  masses  of 
troops  at  the  border  of  the  woods  and  the  glint  of 


NED  MIXTOX.  205 

l>nyoiiets  in  the  sunlight,  through  openings  in  the 
forest.  It  was  well  known  by  those  on  the  fight 
ing  line  that  the  supports  had  already  been  with 
drawn  and  were  then  on  the  way  to  Petersburg, 
hence  these  fresh  arrivals  gave  the  "Boj's  in  Blue'' 
considerable  uneasiness  regarding  their  ability  to 
hold  the  position  until  darkness  came  to  obscure 
the  view  and  enable  them  to  withdraw  with  any 
degree  of  safety. 

A  large  body  of  Confederates  now  attacked  the 
Twenty-fourth  Massachusetts,  on  the  left  of  the 
Eleventh,  with  great  fury,  and  drove  it  from  the 
line.  This  movement  exposed  the  left  flank  of  the 
Eleventh  to  a  terrific  cross  fire.  Batteries 
stationed  beyond  the  reach  of  Union  muskets,  on 
front  and  flank,  redoubled  their  efforts.  Shells 
screeched,  sputtered  and  crashed  through  the 
trees  ana  bounded  along  the  earth. 

Bullets  sang  and  whisteled  over  head  and 
through  the  ranks,  giving  a  peculiar  thud  as  they 
severed  human  bones  and  laid  low  good  and 
brave  men.  Hard  pine  trees,  towering  eighty  feet, 
which  stood  around  the  works,  were  stripped  of 
bark  and  limbs  the  entire  length,  and  men  were 
constantly  falling.  An  order  came  to  take  cover 
as  much  as  possible.  Sergeant  Bateman,  who 
took  a  position  beside  a  tree,  as  lookout  to  watch 


206  TIIK  ADVKNTTKE8  OF 

a  large  force  assembling  at  the  edge  of  some 
woods,  beyond  a  corn-field,  was  ordered  to  keep 
covered.  He  replied  that  he  could  not  cover  from 
all  sides,  with  one  tree.  A  moment  later  a  bullet 
struck  him  in  the  head  killing  him  instantly. 

No  Confederates  being  in  sight  the  Union  troops 
ceased  fire,  for  they  were  nearly  exhausted  from 
the  intense  heat.  A  soldier  sat  down  on  the  root 
of  a  large  stump  from  which  the  earth  had  been 
removed  to  build  the  pit.  Another  soldier  crowded 
against  him  and  he  moved  his  bigness  toward  the 
end  to  accommodate  him  with  a  seat  which  he 
barely  had  time  to  fill,  before  "zip',  came  a  bullet, 
from  the  line  of  cross  fire,  furrowing  his  face  and 
cutting  just  deep  enough  to  carry  away  both 
eyes.  A  bounding  shot  from  a  battery  struck  the 
top  of  the  pit,  scattering  the  earth  in  a  shower, 
and  smashing  the  head  of  a  soldier  who  was 
peering  over,  and  tearing  in  pieces  the  body  of 
another  who  stood  on  the  high  ground  to  the 
rear.  The  next  moment  an  unexploded  shell 
severed  a  large  limb  from  the  top  of  a  pine  tree, 
which  came  sailing  down,  crushing  three  men 
beneath  it. 

Charging  and  the  doubling  process,  by  reason  of 
the  cross  fire,  had  broken  Company  and  I!. -^-i men 
tal  formation  to  a  great  extent,  leaving  a  sort  of 


NED  MINTON.  207 

disorganized  mass,  made  up  of  different  regiments, 
but  they  seemed  unitedly  determined  to  support 
each  other,  and  cling  to  the  work  as  long  as 
possible.  The  sentinels  cried  out,  excitedly — 
"There  they  cornel"  "There  they  come!"  This 
brought  every  man  to  his  feet  in  an  instant.  A 
long  line  in  gray,  with  bayonets  glistening  and 
flags  flying,  was  seen  just  clearing  the  woods,  on 
an  elevated  piece  of  ground  across  the  field. 
There  was  nothing  to  hide  them  save  here  and 
there  a  corn  stock  on  their  left.  "Boys,  now's 
your  time,"  said  big  Sergeant  Fisher  in  Co.  E. 
Lieut.  Colonel  Hill,  the  officer  in  command,  gave 
the  order  "Fire!"  which  was  several  times  re 
peated  by  subordinate  officers,  supplemented 
with  commands  to  "Fire  low!  Fire  low!"  The 
advance  of  the  enemy  was  soon  checked  and  the 
order  to  "cease  fire,"  was  not  fully  heeded  until 
some  time  after  the  last  standing  rebel  fled  to  the 
forest. 

Jokes  were  freely  cracked  during  the  next  few 
moments.  The  top  of  a  flag  was  now  observed  in 
a  deep  ravine  in  front,  not  more  than  fifty  yards 
distant.  Word  ran  along  the  ranks  to  be  in  readi 
ness.  In  a  few  moments  the  flag  began  to  move 
and  with  it  the  whole  Confederate  line  came  into 
view.  The  sight  caused  the  greatest  excitement. 


JOS  THK    ADVKNTI   KKS   ()F 

Every  man  being  eager  to  open  fire,  the  efforts  of 
the  officers  to  keep  them  quiet  until  the  troops 
cleared  the  ravine  far  enough  to  make  their  de 
struction  certain,  before  they  could  regain 
shelter,  was  in  vain.  The  men  began  firing  almost 
at  once.  The  color-bearer  was  shot  dead,  on  the 
brow  of  the  hill,  falling  forward  on  his  staff,  and 
the  line  was  driven  back,  much  thinned,  in  l»>ss 
than  sixty  seconds. 

\Yhen  the  charge  on  the  front  began  the  enemy 
closed  down  on  the  flank  and  renewed  the  destruc 
tive  cross  fire.  No  order  had  been  given  to  fall 
back  but  it  became  evident  to  Sergeant  Gross, 
the  color-bearer,  that  he  must  retreat  with  the 
flag  or  the  banner  would  soon  occupy  a  position 
in  the  Confederate  Capitol  at  Richmond.  They 
had  closed  down  and  were  within  a  distance  of 
thirty  yards.  Sergeant  Gross  tore  the  flag  from 
the  pit  and  started  for  the  rear.  Remember!  ii:_i 
however,  that  no  order  had  been  given  to  retreat, 
he  turned  back,  planted  the  staff  on  the  work  and 
aided  the  color  guard  in  its  defense  by  firing 
st-vrral  shots  from  liis  iwnlvrr  in  tin-  VITV  I'ai-'-s  ol' 
those  intent  on  its  capture. 

The  heat  from  the  sun  was  intense.  Col. 
I'laisted  was  overcome  from  this  cause  and  had 
been  carried  from  the  field. 


XEI)  MIXTOX.  209 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Hill,  who  then  assumed  com 
mand,  lost  his  right  arm  shortly  after,  but  not 
until  he  had  given  his  orders  to  Captain  Merrill, 
to  command  the  regiment,  did  he  allow  himself  to  be 
assisted  to  the  rear.  At  that  moment  the  com 
mand  to  march  in  retreat  was  heard  above  tjie 
din  of  battle,  and  men  who  had  stood  that  terrible 
fire  undaunted,  for  several  hours,  then  gave  way 
and  made  a  wild  rush  across  the  ravine  for  shelter 
in  the  forest  beyond.  Sergeant  Gross  carried  the 
colors  in  his  arms,  and  was  followed  by  the  guard, 
one  of  whom,  however,  fell  dead  as  he  left  the 
work.  The  flag  staff,  one  and  one  half  inches  in 
diameter,  had  been  shot  off  in  three  places,  and 
the  flag  had  been  pierced  by  sixteen  bullets. 

The  regiment  rallied  in  a  work,  about  a  mile  to 
the  rear,  and  repulsed  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy 
which  made  a  fierce  attack  about  sun-set.  At  ten 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  troops,  remaining,  withdrew 
from  the  front  in  silence,  and  the  rising  of  the  next 
sun  found  the  tired  men  sleeping  soundly  in  their 
tents,  within  the  fortified  lines  at  Deep  Bottom. 

The  losses  during  these  few  days,  from  the 
Eleventh  Maine  Regiment,  alone,  were  two  field 
officers,  three  company  commanders,  and  144 
enlisted  men,  from  a  force  of  three  hundred  and 
eighteen,  with  which  the  fight  was  opened. 


210  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

Captain  Minion  and  his  scouts  were  on 
duty  until  lli<>  last  day  of  the  fight,  when  they 
joined  the  iv<rinu>nt  and  took  part  in  rapturing 
the  rebel  work,  thereby  securing  a  position  nearer 
Richmond  than  was  taken  by  any  other  Union 
force  previous  to  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appo- 
matox.  He  lost  five  men  from  his  little  squad  by 
being  closed  within  the  rebel  lines  by  an  nnt-xpec- 
ted  movement.  One  was  killed,  two  were  taken 
prisoners,  and  two  were  severely  wounded.  Ned 
was  himself  slightly  wounded  while  forcing  a  way 
to  freedom. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Sergeant  Holmes  "Wounded  and  Taken,  to  the 

T_,antsler  Hospital. — Love  and 

Marriage. 

^f  HEN  Herbert  Holmes  went  to  California  it 
was  the  opinion  of  his  neighbors,  who  were 
out-spoken  and  active  for  the  Union  cause,  that 
he  had  gone  away  to  escape  the  liabilities  of  a 
draft.  Even  Miss  Angelia  Seeley,  his  supposed 
affiance,  was  not  averse  to  the  use  of  emphatic 
language  in  condemnation  of  like  acts  in  others,  if 
she  did  not,  through  a  sense  of  delicacy,  mention 
the  name  of  her  old  lover,  when  stirred  with  pat 
riotism  to  an  extent  which  compelled  her  to  give 
vent  to  her  feelings  in  language  sufficiently  vehe 
ment  to  be  unmistakable  in  its  import. 

That  Herb,  as  he  was  commonly  called,  would 
return  previous  to  the  close  of  the  war,  no  one 
believed ;  hence,  when  he  came  unannounced  and 
signed  articles  to  become  a  volunteer  in  the  Union 
service,  even  before  he  had  spoken  to  Miss  Seeley, 
caused  more  than  usual  comment,  many  surmising 
that  that  young  lady  had  been  "The  Power 
Behind  the  Throne." 

If  his  going  away  had  been  ascribed  to  lack  of 
211 


L'l  1*  THE  ADVEM  I  I:  I .-  OF 

courage  or  patriotism,  none  were  now  disposed  to 
speak  disrespectfully  of  him,  for,  in  his  CY»T\  art 
at  the  front,  was  found  cause  for  commendation; 
standing  shoulder  to  shoulder,  from  the  very  first, 
with  seasoned  veterans,  performing  deeds  of  valor 
which,  before  he  had  served  half  a  year,  had 
pained  for  him  the  chevrons  of  a  sergeant  and 
words  of  commendation  by  his  superiors. 

The  regiment,  to  which  he  belonged,  came  overto 
Deep  Bottom  and  was  engaged  in  the  fight  whirh 
terminated  at  Deep  Run  on  Aug.  16th.  When  the 
advance  was  made  that  regiment  held  a  position 
on  the  left  of  the  Union  line  next  the  James  River, 
and  about  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  Lantaler  man 
sion,  over  which  a  red  flag,  marking  it  as  a 
hospital,  was  now  flying.  In  making  the  charge  at 
this  point,  the  fire  poured  upon  the  advancing 
column  was  unusually  destructive,  causing  the 
line  to  waver. 

Sergeant  Holmes,  who  was  making  himself  con 
spicuous  in  performing  his  dut}r  as  file  closer,  drew 
the  deliberate  aim  of  the  enemy  receiving  a  shot 
through  the  left  arm,  another  through  the  right 
side  and  still  another  through  the  right  leg,  two 
of  the  wounds  being  severe. 

He  fell  to  the  ground  but  the  line  pressed  on  and 
routed  the  enemy  from  the  stronghold.  He  hearJ 


NED  MIXTOX.  213 

the  cheering  of  his  comrades,  as  they  entered  the 
rebel  work,  then  he  fainted  from  loss  of  blood. 
When  he  regained  consciousness  he  was  told  that 
he  was  at  the  Lantaler  hospital  and  that  his 
wounds  had  been  dressed.  He  looked  around  and 
recognized  many  of  his  comrades,  on  cot  beds, 
about  him.  He  was  about  to  ask  questions  when 
Miss  Daisy  Lantaler  stepped  to  his  side  and  laid 
her  soft  white  hand  across  his  mouth  telling  him 
he  must  not  talk,  at  present ;  then  she  bathed  his 
head  while  he  gazed  upon  her  sweet  face.  He  was 
not  fully  conscious  yet,  in  a  way,  realized  that  the 
conditions  were  strangely  pleasant  and  satisfac 
tory,  then  he  closed  his  eyes  and  fell  into  a  re 
freshing  sleep. 

When  next  he  awoke  he  felt  stronger  and  look 
ing  about  him  saw  Capt.  Ned  Minton  and  the 
young  lady,  whom  he  faintly  remembered  as  hav 
ing  seen  before,  in  earnest  conversation  against 
the  window  across  the  room.  He  had  not  seen 
Capt.  Minton  since  the  day  he  raced  with  Desmont 
on  the  ice,  yet  he  appeared  the  same  Ned,  only 
grown  older  in  years  and  darker  in  complexion 
from  exposure  incident  to  campaigning  beneath 
the  rays  of  a  fierce  southern  sun.  When  Capt. 
Minton  and  Miss  Daisy  Lantaler  noticed  that  he 


_M  \  Tin:  A  i  »v  I:\TI  i;i:s  OF 

h;id  awakened  they  crossed  the  room  and  stopped 
beside  his  cot. 

NIM!  greeted  him  cordially  then  introduced  Miss 
Lantaler  telling  him  she  had  promised  to  bestow 
upon  him  special  care  and  he  had  no  doubt  he 
would  soon  be  up  and  about.  He  replied  to  Ned 
thanking  him  for  his  interest  in  his  welt'aiv.  NVd 
talked  with  him  about  a  furlough  home,  when  he 
would  become  able  to  travel,  then  told  him  he  must 
go  now,  but  would  see  him  again  later.  When  Ned 
had  gone  Miss  Lantaler  arranged  a  rest,  which 
supported  his  arm,  the  bone  having  been  broken, 
then  she  fed  him  nourishment,  bathed  his  head, 
and  was  attentive  in  various  ways,  manifesting  so 
much  anxiety  that  it  was  very  apparent  that  she 
felt  more  than  a  passing  interest  in  his  welfare. 

Sergeant  Holmes  felt  strangely  contented  and 
happy,  when  sin-  was  near,  and  wondered  if  she 
gave  others  the  same  attention  she  gave  him. 

In  a  week  or  two  a  hospital  boat,  came  from 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  conveyed  all  who  were  able 
to  be  moved,  to  that  place,  where  they  remained 
until  the  hospital  transport,  Atlantic,  arrived 
from  New  York,  then  they  were  sent  North.  All 
the  field  army  nurses  but  one,  besides  Miss  Lan 
taler,  accompanied  the  departing  patients.  All 
were  removed  but  Herbert  Holmes,  a  drummer 


NED   MINTOX.  215 

boy  who  had  lost  a  leg  and  an  arm,  and  an  old 
man  who  had  fought  in  three  wars,  and  was  then 
suffering  with  three  wounds,  and  was  delirious 
with  fever. 

A -surgeon  from  a  negro  regiment,  then  doing 
garrison  duty  in  the  Deep  Bottom  fortifications, 
visited  the  hospital  once  a  day,  otherwise,  the 
patients  were  cared  for  by  Miss  Lantaler  and  a 
male  attendant.  With  the  care  Sergeant  Holmes 
was  receiving  he  improved  rapidly. 

Ere  many  weeks  he  was  able  to  sit  in  the  bower 
of  grape  vines,  which  were  loaded  with  luscious 
fruit,  where  Miss  Lantaler  read  to  him  and 
amused  him  in  various  other  ways.  One  day  he 
asked  her  when  she  became  acquainted  with  Ned 
Minton ;  then  she  related  the  story  of  his  adven 
ture  with  the  guerrilla  chieftain  in  her  behalf,  and 
was  lavish  in  her  praise  of  his  goodness,  bravery 
and  patriotism,  and  predicted  a  happy  life  for  the 
lady  who  succeeded  in  winning  his  love. 

As  Sergeant  Holmes  gazed  upon  this  lovely  girl, 
alive  with  animation,  he  sought  to  solve  the 
question  why  he  had  been  so  strangely  happy  and 
willing  to  remain  there,  far  from  relations,  while 
his  comrades,  suffering  with  more  dangerous 
wounds,  sought  furloughs  and  willingly  took 


216  Tin:  AI>VI:NTI  KI.S  OF 

upon  themselves  the  danger  and  pain  of  t  r.-i  veiling 
to  reach  their  homes. 

Then  it  dawned  upon  him  that  he  loved  this 
beautiful  Southern  girl  as  he  had  never  loved  be 
fore.  There  was  a  time  when  Miss  Seeley  had  held 
him  captive  yet  he  suspected  he  had  never  held 
her  undivided  love.  There  had  always  existed  ,-i 
mutual  understanding,  between  them,  yet  he  had 
never  proposed  or  been  accepted,  in  conformity 
with  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term,  hence  he 
felt  that  eacli,  in  a  way,  were  free  to  form  an 
alliance  with  whomsoever  they  chose.  Then,  if  he 
sought  and  won  a  more  congenial  companion, 
one  whose  feelings  and  desires  were  truly  respon 
sive  to  his  own,  who  could  blame  him.  He 
reasoned  thus  as  he  sat  in  the  bower  beside  Miss 
Lantaler,  and  deliberately  summoned  courage 
and  proposed,  squarely  and  honestly,  then  and 
there.  He  received  an  answer  in  the  affirmative, 
from  Miss  Lantaler,  supplemented  with  an  ac 
knowledgment  of  her  feelings  of  deep  love  dating 
from  the  first  hour  she  saw  him  wounded  on  his 
cot  and  insensible  from  loss  of  blood. 

Ever  after  this  hour  they  were  a  truly  devoted 
couple,  loyal  to  their  country  and  loving  and  con 
siderate  to  each  other.  The  only  notice  Herbert 
Holmes  sent  Miss  Seeley,  was  the  announcement 


NED  MINTON.  217 

of  his  engagement  to  Miss  Lantaler,  for  he  felt 
that  any  other  m'essage  would  be  presumptuous- 
ness  by  reason  of  the  slight  understanding  be 
tween  them.  Miss  Lantaler  being  without  a 
protector  other  than  her  young  brother  and  her 
faithful  old  servant,  they  decided  to  be  united  in 
matrimony  on  the  anniversary  of  her  birth  which 
occurred  four  weeks  later.  Sergeant  Holmes 
continued  in  the  service,  however,  until  after  the 
close  of  the  war  and  served  for  a  time  in  Peters 
burg  as  Provost  Marshal. 

After  government  by  civil  authority  became 
operative  in  Virginia,  he  and  his  beautiful  bride 
settled  on  the  Lantaler  estate.  He  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  of  cotton  and  tobacco  with  good 
success,  and  in  the  intervening  years  the  happy 
couple  reared  many  interesting  children.  The 
first  born  son  was  named  Ned  Minton,  for  the 
great  regard  Mrs.  Holmes  entertained  for  the 
gentleman  of  that  name,  who  risked  his  own  life, 
to  rescue  her  from  a  condition  worse  than  death. 
This  young  namesake,  who  learned  the  story  of 
the  capture  of  the  guerrilla  chieftain,  while  on  his 
mother's  knee,  inherits  much  of  her  loyalty  and 
patriotism  and  makes  it  manifest,  in  a  small 
way,  by  annually  planting  flowers  on  the  grave 
of  the  faithful  old  darkey,  who  not  only  remained 


218  THE»ADVENTURE8  OF 

loyal  and  true  to  his  mother  while  in  bondage  but 
stood  by  the  family  and  continued  to  extend  to 
each  member  the  same  devotion  until  death, 
although  he  had  been  repeatedly  told  that  he  was 
a  freed  man  through  the  mandate  of  the  Emanci 
pation  Proclamation  issued  by  President  Abraham 
Lincoln. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Ned  Proposes  to  Miss  Seeley.—  Capturing 
Confederate  Vedettes. 


Capt.  Ned  Minton  was  in  consultation 
with  Miss  Daisy  Lantaler  at  the  Lantaler 
mansion,  then  a  hospital,  that  young  lady,  who 
had  learned  to  trust  him  as  her  best  friend,  en 
tirely  worthy  of  her  confidence,  opened  her  heart 
to  him,  as  she  had  never  done  before,  and  talked 
freely  of  her  feelings  toward  Herbert  Holmes,  in 
quiring  of  his  antecedents,  and  asking  his  advice 
and  opinion  regarding  his  constancy,  kindness  of 
disposition,  etc.  He  saw  that  she  was  deeply  in 
love,  yet  judging  from  Herbert's  past  intimacy 
with  Miss  Angelia  Seeley  he  feared  a  requital  was 
very  improbable  although  he  gave  her  no  reason 
to  draw  such  an  inference. 

His  duties  prevented  him  from  again  visiting 
the  hospital,  as  he  had  promised  to  do,  and  not 
until  he  received  the  announcement  of  their  en 
gagement  by  a  letter  from  Miss  Angelia  Seeley  did 
he  learn  of  the  turn  of  events.  The  note  bearing 
the  news  was  postmarked  at  Fortress  Monroe, 

219 


--<•  THE  AIlVKNTl  KKS   OF 

from  which  fact  Capt.  Minton  inferred  that  that 
young  lady  was  still  bearing  the  burdens  incident 
to  hospital  service  at  that  advanced  post,  beyond 
which  but  two  Northern  white  women,  Mrs.  R.  S. 
Mayhew  and  Mrs.  Charles  A.  L.  Sampson,  had  as 
yet  served  in  a  like  capacity. 

The  note  was  brief,  containing  no  comment  on 
the  announcement  of  the  intentions  of  her  old 
lover,  and  no  allusion  to  her  own  services, 
hopes,  or  intentions.  The  note  apparently  was 
hurriedly  written,  as  if  time  was  of  first  con 
sideration.  Ned  judged  from  this  that  her  duties 
were  extremely  onerous,  and  feared  for  her 
health,  yet  he  admired  her  pluck  and  self- 
sacrificing  spirit,  manifest  in  her  labors  for 
humanity  and  country.  If  she  took  to  heart  the 
loss  of  her  lover,  and  felt  to  condemn  him  for  the 
course  which  he  was  pursuing,  evidently  she  felt  it 
was  a  secret  of  her  own,  and  would  remain  such. 
The  realization  of  these  events  had,  to  Ned, 
almost  a  fateful  appearance,  to  work  his  weal  or 
woe.  That  Herbert  Holmes,  whom  he  had  re 
garded,  to  this  time,  as  an  impassible  barrier  set 
between  him  and  the  object  of  his  love,  of  all  men, 
should  be  thrown  into  the  companionship  of  Miss 
Lantaler,  and  his  affections  won  over  to  her,  when 
a  few  months  previous  the  couple  was  separated 


NED  MINTON.  221 

by  thousands  of  miles  of  land  and  water,  was  a 
mystery  unsolvable.  That  Miss  Seeley  regarded 
him  with  a  stronger  feeling  than  friendship,  he 
sometimes  felt  was  certain,  yet  this  was  confirmed 
by  no  word  or  act  of  hers  upon  which  he  felt 
justified  in  placing  such  a  construction. 

Up  to  this  moment  he  felt  it  a  duty  of  honor  to 
smother  his  own  feelings  and  refrain  from  enter 
ing  the  contest  which,  if  won,  he  sometimes  felt, 
would  be  an  uncertain  victor}7.  Now  the  con 
ditions  were  changed  and  he  felt  he  was  free  to  act 
as  his  heart  dictated,  and  he  proposed  to  act  at 
once.  He  sat  down  and  penned  her  a  brief  note 
stating  that  there  had  been  a  void  in  his  heart 
since  that  first  unfortunate  interview,  held  with 
her  in  Marshfield,  3rears  ago,  which  unsatisfactory 
association,  with  others,  was  regarded  by  him  as 
proof  that  none  but  her  could  fill.  If  her  feelings 
were  reciprocal  in  the  matter,  which  he  dared 
hope  they  were,  he  requested  an  answer  to  his 
note,  then  they  would  plan  an  interview,  if  per 
mission  could  be  obtained  from  their  superiors  for 
leave  of  absence. 

The  run  down  the  James  river  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  by  hospital  boat,  or  mail  steamer,  re 
quired  but  a  few  hours.  The  day  following  he 
received  another  brief  epistle  from  Miss  Seeley 


222  THE  ADVENTURES  OF 

acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  letter  and  stating 
that  an  interview,  as  proposed,  was  ardently 
desired,  and  if  he  could  visit  her  that  week  she 
would  ask  for  a  day's  respite  from  her  labors  to 
entertain  him. 

Ned  was  about  to  apply  for  a  pass  to  the  For 
tress,  on  the  steamer,  when  an  orderly  handed 
him  an  order  from  the  General  with  instructions 
to  proceed  forthwith  to  the  front  with  his  scouts 
and  endeavor  to  capture  a  Confederate  vedette,  or 
two,  and  send  them  to  his  head-quarters.  He  was 
instructed  to  use  the  utmost  caution  in  his 
method  of  procedure  in  view  of  shielding  himself 
and  men  from  unnecessary  liability  of  getting 
shot  and  also  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  shooting 
the  enemy.  It  was  suspected  that  Confederate 
troops  were  departing  from  the  Deep  Bottom 
front  to  re-enforce  elsewhere,  and  if  verified  by  the 
statement  of  prisoners,  a  demonstration  along 
the  line  would,  doubtless,  be  ordered  to  determine 
the  strength  of  the  remaining  force  and  demon 
strate  the  feasibility  of  trying  to  force  another 
advance  on  Richmond  from  the  North  side  of  the 
James  river. 

This  order  at  this  particular  time  was  not 
specially  pleasing  to  Capt.  Minton  but  he  was 
never  known  to  murmur  or  show  a  disposition  to 


NED  MINTON.  223 

shirk  duty.  He  immediately  assembled  and 
marched  his  force  to  the  front  and  when  the 
picket  line  was  passed  he  deployed  it  and  began  a 
cautious  forward  movement.  He  entered  an 
almost  impassible  thicket  of  small  trees,  the 
foliage  of  which  was  thoroughly  saturated  with 
water  from  rains  which  fell  the  previous  night. 
By  reason  of  this  dense  growth  the  line  became 
divided  in  the  centre,  one  section  inadvertently 
obliquing  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left  to 
find  accessible  passages. 

The  right  section  was  with  Capt.  Mint  on  and 
the  left  section  with  his  sergeant.  The  latter 
came  upon  a  lone  vedette,  posted  behind  a  pile  of 
rifted  wood,  bordering  a  road  running  parallel 
with  the  line  of  pits,  but  a  short  distance  to  the 
rear.  The  forest  was  dense,  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  road,  and  when  this  lone  sentinel,  who 
proved  to  be  a  man  fully  sixty  years  of  age, 
realized  he  was  covered  by  half  a  dozen  muskets 
he  readily  complied  with  the  demand  made  upon 
him,  to  surrender,  and  walked  across  the  road, 
bringing  his  gun  as  he  was  ordered  to  do.  This 
was  an  easy  and  bloodless  capture  but  Capt. 
Minton  met  with  greater  difficulty,  a  description 
of  which  is  given  in  his  own  language  as  follows : — 

"When   I  came  out  of  the  thicket  I  entered  a 


THE  ADVENTUHKH  OF 

growth  of  large  oak  trees  free  from  underbrush 
and  I  at  once  saw  the  location  of  my  man  who 
\\  ;is  stationed  in  a  road  running  back  to  the  rebel 
line,  the  position  of  the  post  being  between  two 
hills.  I  saw  my  method  of  capture,  which  must 
be  bloodless,  if  possible.  I  left  part  of  my  men  in 
front  with  instructions  to  keep  running  from  tree 
to  tree  to  attract  his  attention  while  I  made  a 
detour  with  the  balance  to  come  down  on  his 
flank.  If  ever  you  saw  a  surprised  lad  of  eighteen 
summers,  it  was  my  boy  of  the  rebel  post,  when 
he  discovered  the  muskets  with  which  he  was 
covered  upon  turning  his  head  at  the  command — 
"Surrender!"  But  he  was  plucky  and  ordered  us 
to  surrender,  against  the  great  odds  which  con- 
fronted  him,  and  instantly  fired  at  me,  his  shot 
taking  effect  in  my  sword  arm.  My  men  were 
about  to  shoot  him  in  return  and  I  only  pre 
vented  them  from  doing  so  by  hastily  command 
ing  them  to  hold  their  fire,  otherwise  the  object  of 
my  mission,  so  far  as  this  sentinel  was  concerned, 
would  have  been  lost.  The  reserves  were  aroused 
but  we  evaded  them  by  hastily  returning  to  our 
lines  with  our  prisoners  to  whom  we  gave  a 
breakfast  of  baked  beans. 

After  breakfast  I  sent  them  to  General  Foster 
with  my  compliments  and  a  request  for  leave  of 


NED  MINTON.  225 

absence  to  visit  Fortress  Monroe  for  a-few  days, 
pending  recovery  from  my  wound.  I  received  the 
necessary  papers  giving  me  time  unlimited  and  an 
order  to  send  my  men  to  their  several  companies 
during  my  absence." 


CHAITKK    XXV. 

Darky  Music.—  The  Effee-ts  of  War.—  Ned  and 
Nils*  Seeley  Meet  and  Plight  Their  Troth. 


afternoon  following  the  capture  of  the 
vedettes  in  front  of  the  Deep  Bottom  works 
by  C;ii»t;iin  Neil  Minton,  he  departed  on  his  leave 
of  absence  by  mail  steamer,  which  sailed  from 
City  Point  for  Fortress  Monroe.  The  only  event 
to  break  the  monotony  of  the  trip  was  a 
quartette  of  young  darkies  who  entertained  the 
sick  and  wounded  by  singing,  patting  "juba"  and 
dancing  as  only  young  colored  folks  can.  N«-<1 
enjoyed  darky  music  and  wit,  consequently  on 
the  arrival  of  the  boat  at  the  Fortress  he  had 
forgotten  duty  and  care  and  was  in  the  best  of 
spirits. 

Each  trip  of  the  boat  brought  numbers  of  the 
sick  and  wounded  from  the  front,  who  were  cared 
for  at  Fortress  Monroe  until  transportation 
could  be  provided  to  convey  them  to  points  in  the 
Northern  or  Middle  States.  Consequently,  as  was 
customary  on  the  arrival,  ambulance  drivers, 
with  ambulances,  and  stretcher  bearers.  with 

226 


NED  MIXTOX.  227 

stretchers  were  in  waiting  to  receive  their  grue 
some  loads.  As  Ned  needed  no  assistance  he 
stood  by  and  watched  with  interest  the  process  of 
handling  the  wounded.  As  he  viewed  the  suffering 
he  realized  the  horrors  of  war  and  the  amount  of 
labor  required  to  alleviate  the  distress  of  the 
victims,  as  he  never  before  had. 

When  the  last  soldier  had  been  removed  from 

• 

the  boat  he  followed  on  and  entered  the  hospital. 
All  the  surgeons,  nurses  and  assistants  were 
busily  engaged  in  caring  for  those  who  had 
recently  arrived  and  for  those  who  came  at  a 
previous  date.  He  looked  the  length  of  the  ward 
and,  near  the  farther  end,  he  observed  a  neat 
figure  which  he  felt  sure  was  Miss  Seeley,  flitting 
from  cot  to  cot,  arranging  a  pillow  for  this  lad, 
giving  a  cooling  drink  to  that  one,  and  serving- 
soft  and  nourishing  food  to  some  hungry  soul 
who  had  been  fasting,  perforce,  perhaps  for  many 
hours,  by  reason  of  a  broken  jaw  or  face  wound  of 
a  more  serious  nature. 

He  noticed  she  carried  a  note-book  and  pencil 
suspended  by  a  cord  about  her  neck,  and  fre 
quently  made  notes  for  some  sick  or  dying  soldier, 
while  sitting  beside  his  cot,  from  which,  he  judged, 
letters  were  to  be  written  bearing  intelligence  of 
their  condition  to  absent  friends  or,  perchance, 


THE  ADVKVnUKS   OF 

the  dying  \\ords  of  a  beloved  son  to  his  anxious 
old  mother  far  away.  He  saw  that  eager  eyes 
were  watching  her  in  a  vain  endeavor  to  get  her 
attention,  if  but  for  one  brief  moment;  then 
he  realized  in  some  degree  the  burden  she  was 
bt -a  ring,  her  nobleness  of  character,  her  self- 
sacrificing  spirit,  her  patriotic  nature  and  her 
sympathetic  and  loving  disposition. 

As  she  came  nearer,  in  making  her  rounds,  he 
noticed  she  had  lost  her  red  cheeks,  yet  she 
appeared  sprightly  and  cheerful.  Her  presence  to 
her  patients  was  as  a  ray  of  sun-light  in  a 
darkened  room.  However  feeble  the  condition  of 
a  soldier,  when  she  approached  his  cot  she  was 
greeted  with  a  smile.  All  this,  Ned  noted,  then  he 
advanced  and  was  recogni/fd.  She  came  quickly 
to  his  side  and  extended  IHT  hand  to  greet  him, 
then,  seeing  he  was  wounded,  her  lips  turned 
white  and  she  would  have  fallen  had  he  not 
encircled  her  waist  with  his  left  arm  and  con 
ducted  her  to  a  seal. 

Xf<l  saw  that  her  nerves  were  at  a  tension,  and 
approaching  the  head  surgeon,  requested  her 
release  from  duty,  expressing  the  belief  that 
unless  she  had  needed  rest  she  would  fail  under  her 
burden.  His  request  was  granted,  but  before  she 
accepted  her  release  she  returned  to  her  post  and 


NI:P  MIXTOX.  229 

worked  diligently  until  the  last  man  of  the  new 
arrivals  was  cared  for  and  made  as  comfortable 
as  his  condition  would  admit,  then  she  rejoined 
him  and  they  strolled  to  the  shore  to  breathe  the 
open  sea  air  which  she  so  much  needed.  While 
seated  side  by  side  they  whispered  the  story  of 
their  love  which  had  been  mutual  from  the  first 
time  they  were  thrown  together  in  the  little  town 
oi  Marshfield.  They  now  plighted  their  troth 
and  laid  plans  for  the  future. 

Words  of  love  and  trust  were  whispered  and 
the3r  became  hopeful  that  a  bright  and  blissful 
future  yet  awaited  them  after  the  close  of  the 
cruel  war,  but  until  then,  their  country  was  en 
titled  to,  and  would  receive  a  continuation  of 
their  best  services. 

The  ten  days  which  Ned  and  Miss  Seeley  spent 
together  were  days  never  to  be  forgotten.  By  the 
interchange  of  sentiment  and  opinion,  they  drew 
patriotic  inspiration,  and  now  they  felt  they 
were  both  the  better  prepared  to  resume  the 
duties  incident  to  their  positions,  voluntarily 
assumed,  and  being  each  assured  of  the  love  and 
confidence  of  the  other,  they  would  hopefully 
await  the  closing  of  the  war  for  a  fulfillment  of 
the  pledges,  through  which,  they  felt,  they  would 


230  Tin:  Ai>vr..vnm:s  OF 

find  a  reali/at ion  of  their  dream  of  true  love 
worthily  bestowed. 

When  Ned  announced  his  intention  to  return  to 
the  front  Miss  Seeley  tearfully  clung  to  him  while 
conflicting  emotions,  with  love  on  the  one  side 
and  duty  on  the  other,  wrung  her  soul.  She  knew 
well  the  danger  to  which  he  was  returning: 
dangers  exemplified  before  her  in  the  ghastly 
wounds  and  the  agony  of  the  dying,  every  hour, 
and  in  one  short  da}',  she  felt  he  might  be  returned 
to  her  a  bleeding  corpse. 

Then,  what  wonder,  she  wavered  for  a  moment. 
Her  feelings  were  but  human  and  the  conditions, 
she  felt,  were  not  magnified.  It  was  almost  a 
sure  result,  especially  with  Ned,  whose  position 
placed  him  under  double  danger,  seen  and  unseen, 
both  day  and  night. 

She  wrung  from  him  a  promise  that  he  would 
not  needlessly  expose  himself,  then  she  bade  him 
good-by.  They  stood  upon  the  wharf  together 
until  the  steamer  was  ready  to  start,  then  he 
stepped  on  board  and  with  a  last  wave  of  her 
handkerchief,  as  the  boat  was  going  from  sight, 
the  interview  was  closed,  and  she  returned  to 
bury  her  sorrow  in  caring  for  those  who  joyfully 
greeted  her  re-appearance. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Ned  Rides  Into  a  Squad  of   Undeployed   Pickets.— 

Wild  Nancy. — Other  Incidents  of  the  Last  Days 

of  the   War. — The   Surrender. — Resignation 

and  Reunion. — Marriage. — A.  Settlement 

in  the  South. — A.  Happy  Home. 

QX  the  return  of  Captain  Xecl  Minton  to  Deep 
Bottom,  Va.,  from  his  visit  to  Miss  Angelia 
Seeley  at  Fortress  Monroe,  he  went  directly  to 
head-quarters  and  reported  for  duty,  notwith 
standing  his  arm  was  yet  in  a  sling.  General 
Foster,  who  was  yet  in  command,  was  pleased  to 
see  him  for  he  had  need  of  his  valuable  services. 

A  Confederate  force  having  recently  arrived  in 
his  front,  the  General  was  anxious  to  learn-  their 
numbers  and  from  whence  they  came.  He  ordered 
Xed  to  take  two  of  his  men  and  go  out  mounted 
and  try  to  gain  the  information,  and  to  do  so  in 
his  own  way. 

Xt'd  started  at  once  and  rode  about  a  mile  into 
the  interior,  and  seeing  no  enemy  he  swung  to  the 
left  and  struck  for  the  river.  Suddenly,  on  com 
ing  into  a  small  clearing,  he  rode  upon  a  company 
of  undeployed  pickets.  They  closed  around  him, 

231 


THI:  .\itvi:NTiKi:s  OK 

giving  him  no  chance  to  lice,  and  the  officer  in 
command  laughingly  asked  Ned  where  he  was 
ironic.  "<  )ne  might  suppose."  said  Ned,  "I  came 
out  to  find  some  one  to  escort  me  into  Richmond, 
but  I  did  not.  1  rode  out  to  get  the  news  by 
exchanging  pa  JUTS."  Luckily  he  had  the  la 
papers,  purchased  on  the  boat,  the  previous  day. 
and  hauled  them  from  his  pocket.  "This  is  pretty 
cool."  said  the  rebel  officer.  "Let  me  see  your 
j>aj>ers."  Ned  laughingly  handed  them  to  him. 
and.  as  they  were  of  a  late  date.  1  he  exchange  was 
made.  "Well,  said  the  rebel  officer  good  naturedly, 
I  see  yourarni  is  in  a  sling,  and  you  look  as  if  you 
were  telling  the  truth.  I  guess  I  will  let  3'ou  go, 
but  I  must  say  you  took  a  great  deal  of  pains  to 
come  so  far  and  to  come  incur  rear  too."  Ned 
was  anxious  to  get  away  for  fear  the  good- 
natured  "rebel"  might  change  his  mind,  so  he 
whirled  his  horse  and  as  he  gave  him  the  spurs  he 
heard  the  officer  call  out— "Remember,  sir,  that 
you  can't  play  exchange  of  papers  with  me  to 
morrow." 

The  weeks  and  months  wore  away  carrying 
with  them  victory  and  defeat,  joy  and  sorrow. 
The  last  days  of  the  war  were  near  at  hand. 
That  Petersburg  and  Richmond  could  not  hold 
out  against  Grant's  vastly  superior  forces,  when 


MIXTOX. 


the  advance  was  made,  was  conceded  by  both 
I'liion  nnd  Confederate  officers.  Colonel  Taylor, 
of  General  Lee's  stMff,  noted  in  -his  diary  under 
dMte  of  March  27th,  1865:  "There  appears  to  be 
Mil  unaccountable  apathy  nnd  listlessness  in  high 
places"  and  other  words  disparaging-  to  the  Con- 
t'«  'derate  cause. 

Lee's  plan  would  have  been  to  cut  loose  from 
Richmond  and  Petersburg  long  before  he  at 
tempted  it  and  join  his  army  with  Johnson's,  but 
he  was  forced  to  hold  on  until  April  3rd.,  by 
i-t'Mson  of  the  necessity  of  caring  for  the  safety  of 
the  Confederate  Government.  On  the  above  date 
he  attempted  to  retreat  up  the  south  side  railroad 
to  Lynchburg.  His  works  at  Richmond  and 
Petersburg  were  abandoned  and  by  eight  o'clock 
that  morning  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  wav 
ing  over  the  Confederate  Capitol.  Lee  was  in  full 
retreat  and  men  in  the  advance  line  were  in 
high  glee.  They  broke  limbs  from  peach-trees  in 
full  bloom,  and  inserted  them  in  the  muzzles  of 
their  rifles,  giving  the  column  a  holiday  ap 
pearance. 

Orders  were  posted  on  trees  by  the»  roadside 
informing  those  who  were  inclined  to  forage  that 
citizens  would  be  protected  in  their  property 
rights,  and  any  violation  would  be  attended  by 


234  THE   ADVKNTl  HKS  OF 

severe  penalties.  Notwithstanding  these  warn 
ings  many  helped  themselves  to  whatever  came  to 
hand.  A  portly  Dutchman  arrayed  himself  in  a 
hoop-skirt  and  thought  it  a  nice  joke  until  he  WMS 
discovered  by  the  commander  and  sentenced  to 
continue  to  wear  it  until  sun-down. 

Horses  and  mules  were  regarded  as  free 
plunder  and,  wherever  found,  were  usually  taken 
along.  There  was  one,  however,  which  was 
regarded  as  exempt  from  conscription,  "Wild 
Nancy"  as  she  was  called.  She  belonged  to  a 
dignified  old  Virginian,  who  smiled  blandly  when 
he  saw  several  troopers  vault  over  the  fence  to  the 
yard,  where  she  was  demurely  eating  a  ration  of 
corn  husks.  "Nancy,"  said  the  old  Virginian. 
"those  are  Yanks,  and  I  shall  give  you  and  a  two- 
quart  jar  of  my  best  peach  brandy  to  the  first  one 
who  succeeds  in  maintaining  a  mount  on  your 
back  for  thirty  seconds." 

This  announcement  caused  a  hustle  among  the 
troopers  for  precedence  in  effort,  for  they  were  all 
thorough  horsemen  and  full  of  confidence.  The 
most  agile  of  the  lot  succeeded  in  mounting  her 
back  to  find  himself  the  next  second,  sprawling 
outside  the  enclosure.  She  launched  out  at 
another,  who  barely  cleared  her  heels,  which 
slivered  a  rail  in  the  fence,  then  made  for  a  third, 


NED  MINTON.  235 

with  ears  set  back  and  mouth  wide  open.  By  this 
time  the  yard  was  cleared  and  she  resumed  eating 
her  corn  fodder. 

While  the  boys  were  looking  her  over  and  won 
dering  whether  or  not  she  was  composed  of 
evolutions  of  lightning,  an  old  darkey  came 
hobbling  from  the  rear  of  the  stable  and  queried 
"Does  you  uns  want  to  borry  dat  mare?"  "If 
you  duz,  inassa  tole  me  he  wuz  a  Union  man,  and 
I  cud  len  her  to  any  Yank."  With  this  remark  he 
entered  the  yard,  bridled  and  led  her  beside  a  box, 
from  which  perch  he  laboriously  climbed  to  her 
back  and  rode  her  away  to  water. 

The  troopers  looked  at  each  other  with  wonder, 
and,  doubtless,  it  would  be  hard  to  convince  them 
that  that  mare  was  void  of  comprehension  or  an 
understanding  of  the  English  language,  and  was 
not  as  firm  a  believer  in  State  Rights  as  the  most 
ardent  secessionist. 

Shortly  after,  Capt.  NedMinton  came  along  with 
his  scouts,  and,  his  horse  being  jaded,  he  bantered 
the  old  Virginian,  who  was  sitting  on  the  veranda, 
for  a  trade.  The  old  native  looked  Ned  over  with 
a  pitying  expression,  and  remarked — "The  Con 
federacy,  I  suppose,  is  about  done  to  and  Yankees 
han't  much  more  to  live  for.  If  you  feel  that  way, 
you  may  try  to  saddle  "Wild  Nancy,"  and  if  you 


Tin:  ADVENTURES  «>i 

can.  you  will  be  entirely  welcome  to  her."  Ned 
rod.-  down  to  the  bars,  dismounted,  and  spoke 
kindly  to  Nancy.  She  came  to  him.  reached  her 
head  over  the  fence  and  rested  it  on  his  shoulder. 
He  stripped  the  saddle  from  his  own  hoi—, 
entered  the  yard,  and  buckled  it  upon  Nancy's 
back,  bridled  her,  then  mounted,  and  rode  away, 
while  the  planter  sat  a  speechless  \\itn.-»  to  the 
t  ransact  ion. 

Ned  had  been  constant ly  on  duty  since  Apr.  .">nl. 
save  a  few  hours  rest  obtained  between  midnight 
and  four  o'clock  on  two  or  three  occasions,  and 
it  was  now  the  eighth  day -of  the  month.  Like 
many  others  he  was  living,  principally,  on  excite 
ment,  scouting  among  the  broken  columns  of  the 
enemy,  and  rendering  valuable  service  by  keeping 
the  commanding  general  posted  relating  to  the 
different  courses  pursued  or  attempted  by  the 
disconcerted  enemy. 

About  three  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  l>th. 
he  was  up  and  ordered  his  men  to  get  their 
breakfast.  After  breakfast  he  moved  to  the  front. 
At  daylight  a  fierce  musketry  tire  began,  and  it 
was  rumored  Lee  was  trying  to  force  a  break  in 
the  I'nion  lines.  He  went  forward  and  met  the 
I'liion  cavalry  falling  back.  When  the  enemy 
came  in  sight,  on  either  side  of  the  pike,  Ned  dis 
mounted  his  men  and  fell  into  line  with  the 
infantry  placed  to  check  them.  This  onset  was 
short  and  sharp  and  proved  to  be  the  last  of  the 
war. 


XKI)   MIXTOX.  237 

The  enemy  was  now  routed  at  every  point,  the 
line  here  falling  back  through  a  large  field,  beyond 
which  could  be  seen  the  roof  of  Appomatox  Court 
House.  Soon  white  flags  were  displayed  along 
the  front,  followed  by  an  order  to  cease  fire; 
then  there  was  -a  mighty  shout  and  cry  of— "The 
war  is  over!"  "The  war  is  over!" 

Pending  negotiations  for  terms  of  surrender, 
thousands  of  exhausted  soldiers  threw  themselves 
upon  the  ground  and  slept  soundly,  as  they  had 
not  done  for  weeks. 

The  war  being  over  there  was  no  further  need  of 
scouts,  consequently,  ('apt.  Minton  and  his  men 
rejoined  the  regiment,  then  assigned  to  duty  in 
and  about  Richmond.  He  afterwards  served  for  a 
while  on  detached  service  acting  as  provost 
marshal  in  an  outlying  district. 

Some  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  as 
marshal  were  very  unpleasant,  especially  to  ad 
minister  the  "Iron  clad  oath"  to  females  about  to 
marry.  All  such  before  they  could  marry  were 
forced  to  swear  allegiance  to  the  United  States 
(Jovernment  and  also  that  they  would  teach  all 
children,,  they  might  bear,  to  support  the  Con 
stitution  and  the  laws. 

This,  and  other  orders  which  he  thought  un 
duly  severe,  and  lacking  in  magnanimity  to  a 
vanquished  but  brave  and  chivalrous  people,  were 
so  distasteful  to  him  that  his  very  nature  rebelled 
against  ordering  their  enforcement.  Feeling  thus, 
he  judged  that  his  country  had  no  special  need  of 


238  THE  Al>\  KNTriJES  OF 

further  service  from  him,  and  sent  in  his  resign;  i - 
tion,  which  was  accepted  a  few  days  later.  With 
many  regrets  he  bade  his  faithful  scouts  and  army 
acquaintances  farewell,  and  sailed  down  the 
James  river,  taking  a  last  look  at  familiar  spots 
along  the  banks  with  varied  feelings  of  satis 
faction  and  regret. 

Miss  Angelia  Seeley  had  been  notified  of  his  in 
tentions,  and  when  she  received  a  letter  stating 
that  his  resignation  had  been  accepted  and  re 
questing  her  to  accompany  him  North  the 
following  day,  she  became  in  a  flutter  of  excite 
ment  and  joy.  She  also  obtained  her  release  and 
immediately  began  packing  her  belongings. 

The  greater  part  of  the  patients  had  been  sent 
away  to  Philadelphia,  Washington  and  X»-\v  York. 
and  as  the  stream  of  wounded  from  the  front  had 
entirely  ceased  to  flow,  and  few  sick  were  coming 
in,  she  too  regarded  her  work  as  ended. 

When,  a  few  hours  later,  she  left  the  hospital  to 
join  Ned  on  the  boat  she  thought  she  never  saw 
the  sun  shine  so  brightly  nor  heard  the  birds  sing 
so  sweetly.  The  nation  had  passed  through  four 
years  of  war,  the  most  terrible  ever  known,  and 
now  peace  rested  upon  its  shot-riddled  banners. 
She  felt  she  had  played  some  small  part  in  the 
mighty  contest  and  could  with  pride  rejoice  in  the 
victory.  Her  deepest  anxiety,  for  the  past  few 
months,  had  been  for  Ned.  Since  being  assured  of 
his  love,  the  words  which  gave  her  that  assurance 
had  been  weighed  and  re- weighed,  in  her  mind, 


NED  MIXTOX.  239 

until  their  import  was  fully  understood,  and  the 
fear  that  some  unseen  event  would  arise  to  de 
prive  her  from  realizing  the  fulfillment  of  her 
desires,  had  constantly  harrowed  her  soul. 

Then  what  wonder  that  she  rushed  to  his  arms, 
when  the  boat  touched  the  wharf,  and  rested  her 
head  upon  his  breast,  like  a  tired  child,  and  wept 
tears  of  joy,  while  listening  to  his  assuring  and 
comforting  words. 

The  boat  which  bore  them  away  from  the  scenes 
of  conflict  and  labor  of  nearly  four  years  duration, 
was  a  transport  bound  for  Washington.  While 
viewing  the  beautiful  scenery  along  the  banks  of 
the  Potomac,  as  they  ascended  that  river  to 
Alexandria,  they  realized  their  mutual  affinity  as 
they  never  before  had,  and  in  trust  and  confidence 
made  plans  to  be  united  on  reaching  the  Capitol 
city. 

The  place  selected  for  the  event  was  the  resi 
dence  of  a  friend,  a  Mr.  Jason,  situated  in  an  oak 
grove  on  Meridian  Hill.  Mr.  Jason,  who  held  an 
important  position  in  the  Dead  Letter  Office,  was 
an  actively  Io3ral  man,  who  had  given  his  only  son 
to  serve  as  a  private  in  the  Eleventh  Maine,  and 
opened  his  house  to  the  sick  of  that  regiment 
while  stationed  in  Washington.  His  good  wife 
attended  the  patients  and  shared  in  all  the  depri 
vations,  labors  and  sacrifices  incident  to  those  of 
her  husband  and  son. 

On  arriving  in  the  city,  Ned  and  his  intended 
drove  to  Meridian  Hill  and  when  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


L.MO  THIC    Al»VKNTrin:s   oF 

.1  a  soil     learned     tll.Mt     Ned     was    ;i     member    of    til.' 
KleVelltll.      they      Were     ".Tee  ted     \VJtll     the    e,Teatest 

cordiality. 

In  that  s.'dion.  in  those  il.-iys.  loyalty  with  the 
loyal  was  the  password  to  enter  into  the  enjoy 
ment  of  every  luxury  obtainable  with  the  means 
at  hand:  consequently  it  may  here  be  stated  fora 
certainty  that  the  wedding  of  ('apt.  Ned  Minton 
and  Miss  Anji'elia  Seeley  was  an  event  of  con 
siderable  importance  even  in  the  swell  society  of 

Washington. 

After  the  honeymoon,  spent  in  visit  ine.-  the 
public  buildings  and  viewing  the  scenery  about 
the  District.  Ned  en^ap-d  for  a  few  months  as 
Claim  A«i'ent.  then  with  his  bride,  urown  more 
beautiful  with  her  years  of  maturity,  he  visited 
the  home  and  scenes  of  his  youth. 

Later  they  remove-/  to  Florida  and  settled  on 
an  orange  farm  where  they  have  since  resided.  In 
the  years  that  have  intervened  since  the  war 
many  children  have  been  born  to  Mrs.  Minion. 
who  yet  retains,  to  a  ureaf  decree,  the  beauty  of 
her  youthful  days:  and  should  you  visit  .Jackson 
ville  and  inquire  for  the  residence  of  the  most 
prosperous  orchardist  .  with  the  most  charmiiiii 
and  accomplished  family  in  the  orange  belt, 
doubtless  you  would  be  directed  to  the  home  of 
('apt.  Ned  Minton,  who  is  well  known  and  highly 
respected  by  the  people,  white  and  black,  in  all 

that  region. 


1 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angela 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


•I 

•n 

5? 


rrj  i  <jff 


mi  s 

r   J  &    a. 


% 

&  <£ 

T  O 

CJ  £= 

no  I  ? 

V  S  u- 
& 


,. ....  ,.J|  II  Illlll   HI.   .... — 

3  1158  01039  8658 


is  = 

I  -<  »*-• 

$  ^  ' 

3\\VS  ^ 


MI  M 


J£22SS8U»»atiS5ffl[ FACILITY      ^ 

11 1  in  IIHI  Jin  Mm  Mm  mi  mi      ?2i 


A  A      000252800    8  ^ 

I 


I 


G  Ce 

•7*  S 

Q  ~ 

^  g 

3  V 

S  fe 


«  S 

Q  — 

I  3 

t  s 


o  ^i 

-r  S 

i  I 

-n  O 

O  u_ 

5»  P. 


